


Ramble On

by Nachos89



Series: Ramblers [2]
Category: From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Explicit Language, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Foursome - F/F/M/M, Gen, Holidays, Love, Oral Sex, Other, Threesome - F/M/M, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2019-03-23
Packaged: 2019-09-14 18:44:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 102,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16918290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nachos89/pseuds/Nachos89
Summary: Six months after saving the world again, the gang is trying to live normal lives. Well as normal as can be considering some of them aren't quite human anyway. They celebrate birthdays and holidays together before the next disaster comes about. What kind of trouble will they get into this time?Tidbit: Kate got into bed next to Richie who was busy reading a book. She fuddled around a bit, fluffing her pillow, and fussing with the covers. Then she looked at Richie, who was too into what he was reading to see how antsy she was being. So she started huffing and puffing, trying to get his attention by making the most noise possible. She yawned and stretched, and “accidentally” nudged him.“Yes, Kate?” He asked, putting the book down and giving her a look.





	1. Suggestions

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to the second part of my Ramblers Series! This one starts out kind of fluffy and smutty, but will eventually lead to the gang getting into their usual trouble. Hope you enjoy!

Eight Moons Ago

A black SUV grinds to a halt just outside of a large forest preserve along the outskirts of Chicago. It’s the middle of the night, and it’s dark out with nearly no lights around the woods. Three men get out of the SUV, with one going back to grab the fourth passenger.

He grabbed the restrained, blindfolded, and gagged man from the vehicle. He pushed him forward and deeper into the woods.The gagged man was whimpering, and trying to talk around the gag as he was pushed along, blindly being lead to the middle of nowhere. 

They reached a clearing deep within the forest. That’s when one of the men kicked the gagged man in the back of the knee, forcing him to the ground. There he stayed, on his knees on the damp forest floor. The only noises that could be heard were to sounds of night animals, and the familiar click of a gun safety being turned off.

The man screamed around his gag, provoking laughter from the other three men.

“Got something to say, boy?” Grumbled one the men between laughs. “I’ll bet it goes something like this. I didn’t see anything. I won’t tell anyone. Am I right?”

“Well it doesn’t matter,” chimed in one of the other men. “The boss says you gotta go, so you gotta go.”

They removed his blindfold so he could see where he was and what was about to happen. The gagged man was young, and his eyes pleaded with them to let him go. He looked at the glock pointed at his head, and a tear escaped his eye. 

“Don’t worry about this,” said the man holding the gun. “I’m not going to kill you with this. We have. . . other ways of doing things. Ain’t that right, boys?”

“Yeah,” said another. “We’re not gonna kill you outright. We’re gonna give you a chance. Albeit, a slim chance, but a chance nonetheless.”

“We’re gonna do what we came here to do,” said the man with the gun. “Then we’ll untie you. Leave you here. If you survive and make it out, then you’re free. You’ll be a member of a new club you didn’t even know existed. But, that being said, most people never make it though.”

With that, the third man approached the gagged man. He started removing his coat, and unbuttoning his shirt. The gag man screamed as the man continued undressing, easing out of his dress pants and tossing his shoes aside.

He stood before him, naked as the day he was born, then dropped to his knees. He was eye level him the gagged man now, and a big, disgustingly, disturbed grin spread across his face. 

He was on all fours now, and his body started contorting in the most uncomfortable way. He groaned and whined as his bones snapped and changed. He looked up from the forest floor and into the eyes of the gagged man. They were different from before, seeming to glow, and his face was becoming misshapen. 

His nose and mouth elongated and jutted out, creating a muzzle, and his teeth grow sharp. Black hair was starting to cover his entire body as it morphed into something not human. His legs and arms bent at odd angles, and the gagged man could see his hands turning into sharp, clawed paws. That’s when he screamed even louder than he was before, struggling to get away as the other two held him down.

Before his terrified eyes, the man transformed into a giant, black wolf. It growled at him, snapped and showed its fangs. Then it lunged in and bit him on the shoulder. Blood spurted as he struggled and screamed around his gag. Before he knew it, he passed out.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today

“Mmmmm, Richie. Oh God, yes. Mmmmm, right there, baby,” moaned Kate. 

This was something Kate Fuller would never get tired of, the sensation of having sex with Richard Gecko. Everything about it, she loved. 

From the sight of him kneeling, naked between her thighs. To the overwhelmingly sexy way he looked as he worked inside her. To the look on his face, the look of ecstasy and pure joy. Even the look of the sweat as it beaded down his forehead, and trickled down the smooth plain of his broad chest.

She loved the taste of him, as she licked and kissed the sweat from his body. The feel of his mouth and hands as they caressed her sensitive skin. Oh God, the feel of him filling her, pushing in and pulling out of her.

She loved the sounds he made while fucking her. The grunts, the growls, the moans, the panting, the cussing, and definitely how he said her name. She even liked the noises he made her make, how it felt to scream his name. She loved the dirty talk. The way he would ask her if she liked that, how he would talk about his cock as he pumped it in and out of her. The way he spoke about her pussy, and how he made her beg and whine for him.

For fuck sake, she even loved the smell of sex with Richie. The musky, satisfying smell of a job well done. The combination of heat, sweat, and fluids filled her nostrils, and made her shiver at the thought of what caused that particular scent. 

No, there was nothing about sex with Richard Gecko that Kate didn’t love. He was the love of her life, the man of her dreams, and he was all hers. 

They had been together about six months now, and this particular activity never got old. It was actually more frequent than before, and more needed than ever. She wanted him always, craved his touch. And whenever he fulfilled that desire, he never left her less than fully satisfied. Whether it be with his hands, his tongue, or his cock, Richie always got the job done. And she reciprocated by stroking, licking, sucking, and kissing him until his own release. Pleasing him was just as satisfying, and she never wanted the pleasure to end. 

Being with Richie had shown Kate a side of herself she never knew existed, and she liked it. He made her feel complete. He made her feel alive. Sex wasn’t the only thing in their relationship, or even the most important thing, but it made everything else better. There was a tingly feeling, a buzzing when she was around him. A desire to touch and be touched. Like she was now, as he thrust into her.

Kate liked morning sex. She liked waking up to that familiar sensation of Richie hard against her. She liked stroking him awake, listening to him sigh to the feeling of her hand around him as he opened his eyes. He always took a little persuading because he was definitely not a morning person, but with a little encouragement, he always ended up between her legs.

Now, a fully awake Richie pumped his solid cock full force into her hot, tight, pussy. He glistened in the dim light, as the sweat of his efforts dripped down his body. 

Kate ran her fingers up his muscular forearms as they held her hips. She was meeting his thrusts with her own as they inched towards their collective climax. 

“Fuck, Kate,” he panted. “You’re still so tight, baby.”

“Ohhhh, yes baby. Fuck that tight pussy, Richie.”

Kate knew how much he liked it when she talked like that. In any other situation, those words would almost never leave her mouth, but here in the bedroom all was fair. And she loved the crazed look he got in his eyes when she snuck that in. He growled his enjoyment and fucked her harder, just like she knew he would. 

“Ooooh, Gooooood,” she moaned, biting her lip. “Right there, baby. Just like that. Don’t stop, Richie. Oh yessss. Mmmmm.”

Richie continued his pace, moaning along with her. He grunted as she dug her nails into his arms, enjoying the pain. It wasn’t long before she came, hard, moaning his name over and over. 

As soon as she moaned his name he came too, shooting his load deep inside her. He grunted his satisfaction, and moaned her name followed by a familiar 'fuck'. He continued thrusting until he emptied himself inside her, then he collapsed on top of her.

Struggling to catch her breath, Kate still managed to laugh, “God was that good, Richie.”

“As always,” he smirked. “It was a pleasure, m’ lady.”

She kissed him firmly, then he rolled off. She rested her head on his shoulder, snuggling next to him. He put his arm around her, gliding his fingers gently across her arm.

“You gonna go back to bed now, baby?” Asked Kate.

“Mmmhmm,” he affirmed. “I’m more exhausted now than when I first woke up.”

“I’m just glad I can still tire you out, big boy.”

“Somehow you always manage to, Katie,” he chuckled.

Kate giggled, “Well, I’m gonna get in the shower, my shift starts in an hour and a half. Too bad you won’t be joining me.”

“Oh, you’re making this hard, baby.”

“I like making it hard,” she giggled.

Richie chuckled, “You’ve really become a dirty, little girl, Katie.”

“You know you like it. You sure about the shower?”

“Mmmm, yeah,” he nodded.

“Suit yourself,” smirked Kate. “Find me when you wake up.”

She kissed him one last time before hopping out of bed, and prancing to the bathroom. Richie enjoyed the view as she bounced away, and fought the urge to follow her. Then he thought better of it. He could sleep later. Now, his sexy girlfriend was getting in the shower, and there was definitely room for two. And she wanted him to join anyway.

He leapt to his feet and strode off to the bathroom. He opened the door as Kate was getting into the shower. She didn’t notice him sneak up on her, so he slapped her ass as he walked in behind her. It took her by surprise, and made her giggle. He wasn’t always so playful in the morning. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him under the spray of hot water.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So,” said Kate, into the phone “You’re still coming out next week right?”

“Of course I am,” replied Al. “It’s your twenty-first birthday, Kate. I wouldn’t miss it.”

It had been six months since Alessandra left Huston to go back to her life in Chicago. Six months since they evaded the end of the world for the second time. They hadn’t seen each other again since then, but they talked all the time. They were on the phone with each other nearly weekly. Even Seth and Richie talked to her on occasion, well Seth more than Richie. When he talked to her it was usually when Kate had her on speaker phone when they were together.

“And you’re staying all the way through, right?” Asked Kate.

“Yeah. My return flight is on January second. So you’re stuck with me for three weeks. You get me for your birthday, Christmas, and New Years. You happy?”

“Yep,” giggled Kate.

“Good, because there’s no refunds,” laughed Al. “So what’s been going on at the Jacknife? Anything new?”

“Not really. I just talked with Scott yesterday. He’s not gonna make it out for my birthday this year. He says he’ll be too far away. I guess the band is in New Orleans for the next few weeks playing big shows.”

“That sucks. You would think he would know not to plan big shows across the country during your birthday.”

“Yeah, the only other time he missed one of my birthday’s was when Amaru was using my body. Otherwise he never misses it. I guess it’s a big opportunity for the band, like a festival or something. He assures me he will be here for Christmas though.”

“Well, at least you’ve got that. When was the last time he stopped by?”

“He came out for Thanksgiving. Left on black Friday though, so I only got to spend a few hours with him. The band is getting pretty big I guess, and now they tour the whole country, not just Texas and Oklahoma anymore.”

“That’s good for them, right?” Asked Al. “It’s like a dream come true for him. And it’s nice you got to see him for Thanksgiving. Speaking of Thanksgiving though, I have some news.”

“Oh yeah?” Asked Kate. “Juicy news?”

“Well kinda. You know I don’t really have anyone to spend the holidays with now, so I was gonna have to spend Thanksgiving alone.”

“You should have come here,” interjected Kate. “We would have been glad to have you.”

“Thanks for the late invite, Kate,” laughed Al. “But I’m already hogging the rest of your holidays, so no worries. But anyway, you know that manger I hired for the cafe? Jackie?”

“Yeah, I remember you talking about her. You said she’s great and you’re glad you hired her, because you don’t need to worry about the place anymore.”

“Right. She’s awesome. I’m lucky she applied, because all the others were duds. I can’t run the place by myself. It’s really the only thing I miss having Vincenzo around for, he was good at it. But back to the story. Jackie invited me over to Thanksgiving with her family. She said I shouldn’t spend it alone, and they would have plenty of food.”

“That was nice of her.”

“Yeah, like I said, I love this woman,” laughed Al. “I wasn’t kidding. So I baked a pumpkin pie, headed over, and met her family for the first time. Her husband John is really nice, and they have four, crazy kids. That was actually a lot to take in. I don’t spend that much time around kids. Especially when they’re all under ten, and three of them are boys.”

“Oh, wow,” laughed Kate. “I love kids, but I’m not sure I could even handle three, young boys. They’re usually a handful.”

“And boy were they ever,” chuckled Al. “Her mom was there too. She was sweet. Then her baby sister came too. She was okay, but I was warned about her when I was invited. It was gonna be a dry Thanksgiving because she’s a recovering alcoholic and heroin addict, fresh out of rehab. It was a little strange, but it’s not like I need to drink.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” laughed Kate. “Most of the time I see you, you have a drink in your hand. You’re probably drinking right now.”

“That’s beside the point.”

“So you are?”

“Of course I am.”

Kate laughed loudly into the phone, but was still able to hear Al’s sigh on the other end.

“Would you let me finish?” Yelled Al. “I haven’t even gotten to the good part yet.”

“You may proceed,” chuckled Kate, ceasing to laugh.

“Well her brother came as well. Her very single, and extremely sexy brother. And we started talking, and we got along pretty well. He asked for my number before I left, so I gave it to him, and we’ve been talking ever since.”

“Oh,” said Kate. “That’s a change, huh?”

Kate was happy for Al, she really was. She wanted her to be happy, and a new guy in her life would be a good thing. Although she was silently hoping that the new guy would be Seth. That was one of the reasons she was so glad she was going to be spending three weeks at the Jacknife. They were so cute together, it would have been good for both of them. Lord knows Seth needs a lady in his life too.

“So has he asked you out yet?” Asked Kate.

“He did. We’re actually going out on Friday night.”

“This may seem like a rude question, but does he know what you are? He’s human right?”

“He is,” sighed Al into the phone. “And no, he doesn’t. I don’t know how this works really. I’ve only been with Vincenzo, so I have never had to deal with falling for a human man before. It’s just been so long since I was asked on a date, it was exciting.”

“You gonna tell him?”

“Eventually. If things get serious, I’ll kinda have to. But for now, since it’s only one date, I’m not gonna.”

“Well good luck. You deserve it.”

“Thanks. I’m a bit nervous though.”

“You’ll do fine. He already likes you, so keep it up.”

“Now you’re the one giving dating advice,” laughed Al. “Great.”

“I’m the one in an amazing relationship, with a nearly perfect boyfriend, so who better to take advice from?” Asked Kate with a giggle.

“Speaking of amazing relationships, how’s your sex life? Trying anything adventurous?”

“Oh God,” sighed Kate.

“Spill it,” chuckled Al. “I haven’t had any since Seth. I’m dying over here.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate got into bed next to Richie who was busy reading a book. She fuddled around a bit, fluffing her pillow, and fussing with the covers. Then she looked at Richie, who was too into what he was reading to see how antsy she was being. So she started huffing and puffing, trying to get his attention by making the most noise possible. She yawned and stretched, and “accidentally” nudged him.

“Yes, Kate?” He asked, putting the book down and giving her a look.

“Hey, baby,” she grinned, biting her lip seductively.

“Hey, Katie,” said Richie, giving her a sarcastic smile. “Did you want to talk about something?”

“Well,” shrugged Kate. “Yeah.”

“Okay?”

“You remember how you said sexually you would do anything I wanted? That we could try anything?”

“I do recall saying that, yeah.”

“Well, I’ve been doing some thinking, and I have some suggestions.”

“Okay?” Asked Richie, cocking a brow. 

“Okay, so I was talking with Al earlier. . .”

“Oh, God,” interrupted Richie, rolling his eyes.

“What?”

“Sometimes I’m not sure if she, or Seth is worse. I’m not sure I want to know about the types of things she’d suggest.”

“Richie,” pouted Kate. “She’s not that bad, and you know I wouldn’t do anything if it’s super weird.”

“Alright, baby,” sighed Richie. “What do ya got?”

“Okay, so you know how much I like when you go down on me?”

“I seem to recall you enjoying that,” he said with a sly grin.

“Well I was thinking maybe we could try that, but with me on top.”

“Like, you wanna sit on my face?”

“Ewww,” said Kate. “Don’t call it that. That sounds dirty. Like my ass is just covering your face. I don’t want to do that.”

“Then what do you want to do?”

“Ummmm,” she said biting her lip. “Like I was facing you, and you wouldn’t just be staring at my ass. That way I can look down and watch you, and you would be able to breathe.”

“I like how me being able to breathe is the second most important part to you,” chuckled Richie.

“Ha ha.”

Richie rolled over and leaned on his elbow, “That sounds doable, very doable. Anything else on your mind?”

“Al said there are games we could play.”

“What kind of games?”

“You know,” said Kate. “Like sexy dice games, or card and board games. We could try those. I think that would be fun. Different anyway.”

“I can see that. Every night would be a mystery,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows. “I’ll get us some if you want. What else you got?”

“You know I love you, right? And sex with you is amazing.”

“I’m not sure I like where this is going, but I love you too.”

“Well, Al was talking about something she never did because Vincenzo never wanted to, but she always wanted to try. And after talking about it, and at first thinking it was gross, it actually started to appeal to me. I was thinking a threesome?”

“A threesome?” Asked a very surprised Richie. “Like what are we talking about, Kate? You, me, and another girl? Or another guy?”

“Well, another guy,” she said shyly. “It’s not that you aren’t enough, you are. You’re perfect. But after I really thought about it, the thought of two guys at once was actually kind of hot. I mean you wouldn’t need to do anything with the other guy. That doesn’t really appeal to me. Does that bother you? We can do another girl once too if you want, but I will not be doing anything with her. Just so you know.”

“No,” said Richie. “It doesn’t really bother me. I’ve never done either, so I suppose I’d be up to try that. It could be hot.”

“Really?!” Yelped Kate, excitedly. “You can pick the guy of course. I want you to be comfortable with the choice. I mean, I’d have to be comfortable with it too. So in either case, I would like it to someone we were both comfortable with.”

“Okay, we’ll put that on the list too.”

“I love you, baby,” smiled Kate, giving Richie a quick, little kiss.

“Obviously I love you too,” he chuckled.

“What about you, Richie? What do you wanna try?”

“Anything with you is perfect with me.”

“But there has to be something that you fantasize about?”

“I don’t know, Kate.”

“Is it anal?” Asked Kate with a furrowed brow. “Is that why you won’t suggest it? You’re worried how I would react to that?”

“What?!” Yelped Richie. “No! I mean it’s not my thing. Not when you have that sweet, little pussy of yours. Between that, and that amazing tongue of yours, I’m set. And it’s never really been that enticing to me. Unless. . . that’s something you wanna do?”

“Oh God no,” laughed Kate. “I just know lots of guys are into that for some reason.”

“It’s supposed to be tighter. And it’s taboo, so it has it’s appeal. It’s also less intimate, and difficult to get a girl pregnant like that. Which might also be appealing to some. But I like intimate sex, I like making you feel good, and I’ve always been a pussy guy. I like touching them, licking them, sucking them, and fucking them. There are so many ways to please a pussy, as you well know. I don’t see why I would need anything else.”

“Oh, I do know,” said Kate, giving him a dirty, little smile. “But seriously. What’s something you wanna try? I’m not the only one in this relationship, Richie. Your needs and wants are just as important to me as mine are to you.”

Richie sighed. “Okay. What about handcuffs? Or tying you to the bed? That way I get to do whatever I want to you.”

“You kind of already do,” giggled Kate. 

“Yeah, but this way, you couldn’t even stop me if you wanted to.”

“Okay,” shrugged Kate. “I’d do that. What about me doing that to you? You want that too?”

“I think I might be into that too.”

“Well then we’ll have to try that,” she smiled. “But tonight I want to try something else.”

“And what would that be, Katie?”

“Get on your back. I’m getting on top. I hope you’re hungry.”

“You know I am,” he smirked.

Richie leaned on his back, and Kate rolled on top of him. She started kissing me, deeply. It was all tongue and roaming hands. He squeezed her ass, so she nipped his bottom lip. She loved the feeling of his hands on her ass. 

They got into a solid make-out session before Kate leaned up and pulled her shirt over her head. Now all she was wearing was a pair of cotton panties, and Richie’s eyes devoured her nearly naked form. 

Kate took Richie’s large hands from her hips, and brought them to her breasts. It always felt so good when he played with them. He took one in each hand, gently massaging and squeezing them. It made Kate shutter and moan. 

She could feel him growing in his PJ bottoms, and while he was distracted with her tits, she maneuvered out of her panties, so she was bare to him. He grunted at the sight.

Kate leaned down to kiss him one last time, taking the time to savor the feeling of his tongue rolling against hers. Then she crawled up his frame, and planted herself above his waiting mouth. She hovered there a second.

“You ready, baby?” She asked.

“Mmmmm,” he moaned, licking his lips. “More than you know.”

Kate lower herself to his face, straddling his head and bracing herself with her hands on the wall behind the bed. 

Richie kissed her first, then started licking his way up and down her slick pussy. The first sensations made Kate moan and bite her lip. She looked down at him as he worked her with his tongue. He looked up at her, and she could see the curve of a smile as he saw her watching him lap at her clit. He chuckled at the look in her eyes, and it made her buck.

“God, Richie,” she cooed. “I fucking love when you do that, baby.”

He moaned and his eyes rolled back in his head. It really did turn him on when she talked like that. Fuck always sounded so much dirtier when she said it. Plus the added vibration of his moan made her squirm with desire against his face, and he liked that too.

Richie continued working his tongue up and down her, circling and sucking on her clit when he reached the top, and plunging his tongue inside when he got to the bottom. Repeating the action over and over, each time sucking her clit a little longer. Kate started riding his face, moaning and panting his name. 

“Oh God, Richie. Mmmmm,” she moaned. “I’m close, baby, so close. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God, yes. Oh God, Richie, yes. Mmmmm.”

Kate came with an explosion. Richie was an expert at his craft, and this position made it feel even better than normal for Kate. 

He lapped her up as she literally dripped onto his tongue and chin. Richie loved making her this wet, loved when her juices coated his face. He licked and sucked until she came down, panting.

Kate sat on Richie’s chest briefly, causing him to make a small noise as she plopped down.

“Sorry,” she giggled. “I need a minute.”

“No rush”, he smirked. “I like when you’re exhausted. It makes me feel like I did a good job.”

“You always do a good job, Richie. You’re fantastic at that.”

He gave her that gloaty smile that she loved. The one that said he knew he was, and was proud of it.

“Now what to do next,” giggled Kate. Then she leaned back and rubbed him through his pants. “Looks like someone else is craving attention.”

She stroked him several time like that, watching his face as he closed his eyes, and grunted. She pulled him out through the flap, and kept right on stroking him. 

Kate flipped herself over, straddling his chest in a sixty-nine like position, with his stiff cock at her mouth. She licked him up and down while stroking him with one hand, and leaning on one elbow. 

She circled his head with her tongue, then lead a trail of wet kisses to his base. From this angle, that sensitive spot under his head faced away from her, but she skillfully lapped at it when she made it back to the top. 

She sucked him completely into her mouth and started bobbing up and down his shaft. She gently squeezed and massaged his balls before moving her hand back up to mimic the motion of her mouth.

“Mmmmm,” moaned Richie. “Fuck that’s hot, Kate. Watching you suck my cock from between your legs. God damn, it’s fucking hot, baby.”

He slapped her ass, and she yelped around him. He slapped it again in the same spot, before rubbing his hand over the reddening flesh, kneading in. He grabbed both cheeks and squeezed, then he slapped it one more time.

Kate continued working him, sucking, licking, and kissing down his shaft. It was playful, with the intent of teasing him into a lasting session that would bring him close many times before he actually finished. She liked doing that to him, making him wait. He came so much more when she teased him first. 

“Ooohhh, Richie,” she squealed as he slid one, long finger into her from behind. 

He chuckled at her reaction, he liked surprising her during his turn. Then he slid another finger in with the first one, making her moan around his cock. He pumped them into her pussy lazily, teasing her like she was teasing him. 

The teasing continued until Richie couldn’t take it anymore. He wanted to cum, to fill her up.

“Fuck, baby,” he panted. “You feel so fucking good. But I want that pussy, baby. Fuck me with that sweet, tight pussy, Katie.”

Kate removed him from her mouth, and flicked that spot one more time. She scooched down to straddle his cock. She lifted herself up, grabbed him, and lined him up with her entrance. Then she slowly slid down his length. Both of them moaned as she did.

Kate bounced up and down him. She preferred facing him so she could look at him when she fucked him, but this had it’s benefits too. 

She picked up her pace, riding him in a frenzy. He thrust up to meet her, fucking her as she fucked him.

“Oooohhhh, fuuuuck, Kate,” gritted Richie through clenched teeth. 

“Mmmmmm, Richie,” she moaned back. “Ooohhh God, baby.”

They moved quickly, edging towards their releases, panting and moaning in unison.

“Oh shit, Richie,” she pleaded. “Oh, yes, baby. Oh my God, don’t stop. Right there, baby. Right there, just like that. Just like thaaattt! Ooooohhh fuuuuccckkkk, Richie!”

Kate came with a shudder and a squeal, and Richie was soon to follow, grunting and cursing.

When they were done, Kate rolled off Richie, and shuffled up to him.

“Goddamn that was hot, Kate.”

“That was a great beginning to our new list,” she giggled. “I can’t wait to try the rest.”


	2. Birthday Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie spoils Kate on her birthday.
> 
> Tidbit: Richie moved his hands across her back, gently rubbing in the oil. He really worked the muscles, because while he loved giving sexy massages, he saw no point if they weren’t also functioning. He always managed to get the knots out while making it feel sexy and amazing.

Kate woke up alone in their king sized bed. It was December 12th, and officially her twenty-first birthday, so she was wondering what was so important that Richie wasn’t there when she woke up. It was only ten in the morning, and it wasn’t like he was an early riser. 

She rolled over and saw a vase filled with beautiful flowers and a little card. It made her smile, although she wondered how he got those in here, right next to her on the nightstand, without her even noticing. 

She grabbed the card and opened it. It read,

“Happy Birthday, baby! I hope you like the flowers. Tonight I’ll be taking everyone out for your birthday. I made reservations at 7pm at Lasandro’s. Call me when you wake up.”

-Richard

Kate rolled her eyes, but continued smiling. She loved Lasandro’s. She was definitely getting the seafood linguine, she never bothered even looking at the rest of the menu.

Then she grabbed her phone, which was conveniently charging right next to the vase. She unplugged it and called Richie.

“Hey, baby,” he answered.

“Hey,” she smiled back. “Where are you, and why is it not here with me?”

“Relax,” he chided. “I’ll be there in a few minutes. Don’t move.”

With that he hung up. Kate stretched out in the bed, doing what Richie said and relaxing. She looked back at her flowers, they really were beautiful. He always got her really nice flowers when he surprised her. He must have a good florist on speed dial, laughed Kate. Then she rolled out of bed to use the bathroom. She hurried because she wanted to be back in bed before he got there, making it look like she never moved. 

The door opened not two minutes later, and in walked Richie with a tray, and a bucket with a bottle of chilling champagne.

“Breakfast in bed, birthday girl?” Asked Richie, with this stupid little grin on his face.

“Mmmmm,” said Kate. “I love when you make me breakfast.”

Richie placed the tray over her legs, and put the bucket next to the bed. He removed the silver topper, exposing waffles topped berries and whipped cream. There was also two champagne glasses and a vessel of orange juice on the tray.

“Blueberry waffles, and fresh squeezed orange juice for mimosas,” he smiled, sitting on the bed next to her. “It’s your twenty-first and all, so you better start the drinking early.”

Kate giggled, “These look delicious.”

“Dig in, and I’ll make the mimosas.”

Kate took a bite of her waffles as Richie uncorked the champagne. Then he poured some into the tall, champagne glasses and filled the rest with the fresh orange juice.

They toasted and clinked their glasses together before sipping their drinks. Kate scooted over so Richie could slide in next to her. She fed him a few bites of waffle before continuing to scarf them down. He made good breakfast foods, pancakes, waffles, omelets, all always absolutely scrumptious. It made her wonder why he didn’t cook more.

As Kate finished the last of the waffles, she said, “Mmmm. Those were amazing, Richie. Thank you, baby.”

Then she leaned in for a quick kiss. Then finished her mimosa. Richie made them another round.

“Who’s all coming to dinner?” Asked Kate. “You just said everyone.”

“Well obviously you, me, Seth, and Al. Since she’ll be here in like five hours. Then I got Kisa and Marisol to come as well. I even got Freddie and Maggie to come out, which was a shock.”

“Freddie’s coming?!” Asked Kate, all surprised. “That is a shock. I haven’t seen him in months. I think he’s starting to come around to you.”

“I seriously doubt that,” chuckled Richie. “I have a feeling that if it wasn’t for your birthday, he wouldn’t be anywhere near me.”

“Maybe,” she chuckled back. “Or maybe he’s starting to realize that I have the sweetest boyfriend, who makes me breakfast in bed for my birthday, and gives me foot rubs while we watch movies. So he really can’t be all that bad.”

Richie smiled back and moved in for a soft kiss. When he pulled back, he said, “I’ve got one more thing for you.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s in the hall. Lemme get it for you.”

He hopped out of bed and strode to the door. He opened it and bent down to grab something off the floor. When he turned around, he was holding a huge basket full of goodies.

Kate giggled, “What is that?”

“It’s a sexy birthday basket,” smiled Richie, getting back on the bed.

“A sexy birthday basket?”

“Yeah,” he grinned. “After the conversation we had last week, I figured I needed to grab a few things if we wanted to make any movement on that list of ours. So I got you pretty much everything we’ll need.”

“Oh really,” smirked Kate, as he handed her the basket.

She started digging through it. There was a sexy dice game, a sexy card game, and a sexy board game. He got her one of each, which made her giggle. There was massage oil, bubble bath liquid, and scented candles. Then she pulled out a pair of fuzzy handcuffs.

“Oh my God, Richie,” laughed Kate. “You weren’t kidding.”

“Nope,” he smirked. “Here, these go with the handcuffs.”

He pulled out a feather teaser, a blindfold, a ball-gag, a riding crop, and a little, leather whip.

“Richard,” gasped Kate.

“I told you I wanted to do anything to you, and you couldn’t stop me,” he grinned. “You said you’d do it. I’ll be gentle, but you could be rough with me if you want.”

“Well this is a side to you I’ve never seen,” said Kate, biting her lower lip. “Maybe I will be rough with you.”

He made a noise deep within his throat, almost like he was purring. It was so sexy to her, that Kate went in for a deep, passionate kiss. She ran her fingers through his hair, keeping him close. Then he broke the kiss suddenly.

“You’re not done with your sexy birthday basket,” he said, giving her an evil grin. 

She pouted at his absence, then went back to pulling things from the basket. The next thing she pulled out was edible body paint.

“It comes in six flavors,” he said, wagging his eyebrows. “Strawberry, cherry, blueberry, pina colada, vanilla, and chocolate. I plan on trying all of them on you.”

“You’re a dirty boy, Richard Gecko.”

Then she pulled out the last thing from the bottom of the basket. It was a book of sexy coupons. She started flipping through it to see what kind of things were in it.

“Ohhh, Richie,” smiled Kate. “These are good. I’m definitely using all of these. Sensual massage, foot rub, candle lit dinner for two, romantic bubble bath, one slow dance, long make out session. I love this. Some of these get a little dirty though. Lick my???, oral exam, one quickie, you name it sex position, name your fantasy, and suck my???,” she giggled. “Can I use one now?”

“Any one you want,” Richie smirked back.

“I would like to use the sensual massage coupon, please.”

“Good thing I bought massage oil then,” he chuckled. “Let me clear this up. You get ready, and by ready I mean naked.”

“You too,” smiled Kate. “It’s my birthday, and I want to see my boyfriend naked.”

“Deal.”

Richie cleared off the bed as Kate stripped off her pj’s. Then he started undressing too.

“Slowly,” said Kate, giving him a dirty, little smile.

So Richie slowly unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it aside. He pulled his undershirt over his head and threw it next to his other shirt. Then he undid his belt and pants, letting them drop to the floor. He started going for his briefs, when Kate got up and slowly pulled them down herself. 

Then she laid back down on her stomach while he got the oil ready.

Richie moved his hands across her back, gently rubbing in the oil. He really worked the muscles, because while he loved giving sexy massages, he saw no point if they weren’t also functioning. He always managed to get the knots out while making it feel sexy and amazing.

He worked his way down her body, rubbing her ass, legs, and feet, applying more oil as he went. He spent over thirty minutes working her backside before asking her to turn over. Then he started at her feet again, and worked his way up. He rubbed her head to toe, including a good amount of time on her boobs, squeezing and teasing her nipples. Kate liked when he did that, but it was definitely more for him.

“That’s just about everything, Katie,” said Richie about an hour after he began. “I think there's only one more place that needs a good massage.”

Then he moved his hand between her legs and started rubbing her clit. Kate moaned at his touch, loving every second of it.

Richie rubbed her clit generously before sliding his fingers up and down her length. Never quite forgetting about her clit, coming back to it over and over. Then he pushed two fingers inside her and started pumping away, while still using his thumb to massage her clit.

Kate opened her eyes, biting her lip. She looked up at Richie as he finger fucked her from the edge of the bed. He was fully hard, and licking his lips. He loved touching her like that, and she knew it.

He continued pumping his fingers in and out in at an increasing speed, making Kate moan his name. He started using his other hand to rub her clit now, so it was more consistent and forceful, and she reached for him, sliding her hand up and down his length.

Richie moaned as she stroked him, but never lost his pace as he used his fingers to pleasure Kate. He fucked her with them until she came, whimpering and moaning. He pulled his fingers out and sucked them clean.

Then he dropped to his knees at the end of the bed and spun Kate around. Now he was between her legs, face level to her pussy. He licked her clit, sucking it into his mouth before Kate really had time to calm down. 

Richie lapped her up, licking her up and down. Kate grabbed at his hair, pulling and running her fingers through it. He fucked her with his tongue, shoving it in and out of her entrance as far as her could. Then make his way back up to her clit, sucking it and flicking his tongue across it repeatedly. 

Kate was squirming, and bucking at his face. She was moaning uncontrollably and it got him going. He moaned into her clit, sending vibrations to it, and causing the final blow to Kate’s composure. She came again, even stronger than the last time. She yelled his name and moaned so loud she knew anyone in the hall could hear her. She prayed to God nobody was in that hall. 

Richie continued lapping at Kate’s sopping wet pussy, obviously in a mood to please. She had to beg him to stop when he got like this, or he would just keep going. One time he was down there over an hour, making her cum four times before he reluctantly stopped at her pleas. 

“Oh Goooood, Richie,” she moaned. “That’s enough, baby. I want you inside me.”

He stopped and stood up, looking down at her with a sloppy, wet chin, and sex glazed eyes.

“Fuck me, baby,” she begged.

She didn’t have to ask twice, she used the magic words. He pumped away at her furiously, thrusting deep. Kate was moaning within seconds as he filled her. He felt so good, she thought. 

“Faster, baby, faster,” moaned Kate. “Yeeeees, that’s it, baby. Oh God, yeah.”

She could see the focus on his face as he continued his quick pace with deep thrusts, grunting and cussing. Sweat was building on his chest, dripping in sexy, little rivulets down to his flat, muscular stomach.

Richie held her legs apart and pushed them forward, leaning closer to her, giving himself a different angle. To Kate it felt like he was getting even deeper now. He was getting rough with it. She liked when he did that, he grunted and growled more when he did it like this. 

He fucked her like that until she came for the third time that morning, leaving her spent. He finished as soon as she whined his name, moaning 'fuck' through clenched teeth.

He fell next to her on the bed, and she rolled over, wrapping her leg around his waist and cuddling her head against his sweat slicked chest.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Al walked in the door just after 3:30 and walked straight into the brother’s office. Seth was in there ordering his assistant, Raul around, handing him a book of this month’s accounts. 

“Keep that safe,” he winked at the young Culebra. “Call me when the beer delivery shows up. He’s late.”

“Lo tienes, jefe,” he said stashing the book in the safe.

“Do you ever ask anything?” Chuckled Alessandra from the doorway. “Or do you only know how to order everyone around?”

“That was asking. . . firmly,” grinned Seth. “You know that, don’t ya, Raul?”

“Si, jefe. It’s my job to take orders anyway.”

“Still wouldn’t hurt to throw a please in there every once and awhile, would it?” Asked Al.

“That would ruin my image,” grinned Seth, getting up from his desk. “How was your trip?”

“Long, and filled with crying babies and difficult children.”

“That’s why I don’t fly.”

“You don’t fly ‘cause the security is much better getting on airplanes, and that mug of yours still might be in some database somewhere.”

“They think we’re dead, remember?” Asked Seth. “Richie very successfully killed us over three years ago.”

“You’re pretty spry for a dead guy.”

“I could say the same for you,” he smiled, going in for a big hug.

Al wrapped her arms around him too, and they squeezed each other in a warm embrace.

“Where’s the birthday girl?” She asked as they separated.

“Downstairs with Richie.”

“Oh,” smirked Alessandra. “Should I not go and bother them?”

“Ha! You should be fine,” laughed Seth. “I think they got that shit out of their system this morning. They were locked in that bedroom until after one. Now I think they’re watching a movie. They’re both taking the whole day off for her birthday, as if the bar runs itself or something.”

“Someone’s jealous,” Al smirked playfully. “But of which one? Because he’s with her? Or because she’s taking him from you?”

“Shut up, Al. Don’t be a creep.”

“Maybe it’s both?”

“Maybe it’s because neither had to talk to you yet, and I secretly wish I didn’t either.”

“I don’t believe that for one second, Gecko,” she chuckled. “You gonna head down with me, or what?”

They walked to the elevator side by side, talking all the way down to the living area. Not much had changed with either, but it was nice to catch up anyway. Six months is a long time to go without seeing someone you saved the world with. You get kind of close in situations like that.

Seth walked Al to her room so she could put her bag away, then they headed for the living room. He opened the door for her like the gentleman he was, and she walked through, thanking him.

There they found Kate and Richie snuggled up on the couch, with her head on his shoulder, and his arm around her. They were watching ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, one of Kate’s favorite Christmas movies. 

They turned their heads at the sound of the door opening, and Kate immediately jumped from her seat. She threw her arms around Al, shouting something about how much she missed her. Richie just slowly walked over, and when Kate was done suffocating Al, she bumped him forward, urging him to hug Al too. He did it begrudgingly, he wasn’t much of a hugger, he pretty much only hugged Kate and Seth.

It’s not that he didn’t like Al. He actually liked her a lot. She was easy for him to get along with because in many ways she was similar to Seth, so in a way he had been dealing with her kind his whole life. Plus she got him, and didn’t seem to judge. And she was good for Kate too, who needed more friends, especially girl friends to talk to.

They all got comfortable over by the TV and talked with the movie playing in the background. Al was telling them about all the new things going on since she last saw them, most of which Kate was already aware of, but the boys didn’t know.

“How’s that cafe of yours doing?” Asked Seth. “Books and Bread, or whatever it’s called.”

“It’s called Pages and Pastries, Seth,” corrected Al. “And it’s doing surprisingly well since you know who is no more. I just want to point out that it was my idea to add the cafe part in the late nineties. Otherwise we would have gone out of business long ago. Nobody really buys books anymore, so now I’m pretty much down to classics, rare, and collectible. And some spell books.”

“Those are a real thing, huh?” Asked Richie.

“Yeah. There’s a few out there. And almost all of them can be found in my shop,” she said proudly. 

“What about people getting a hold of them who don’t know what they’re doing?” He asked.

“Look, you’re either born with the gift or not. If you’re not a witch, the spells don’t work. Period. You need more than words to make a spell or incantation work, it needs magic and power as well. So there’s no harm in a few regular, old humans buying them from time to time. Otherwise I wouldn’t sell to them.”

“Speaking about the cafe,” said Kate, all bubbly. “How was your date?”

“What the fuck does that have to do with the cafe?” Asked a very confused Seth.

“She was invited to Thanksgiving at the new manager’s house and met her brother. That’s who took her out.”

“It went well,” smiled Al. “I had a lot of fun. I was worried about how much things have changed since I last went on a date, but he was a real gentleman. He took me out to a nice restaurant, and after we were done eating we hung out by the bar for hours, sipping some martini’s and just talking. It actually wasn’t that much different from some of the nights I used to have with Vincenzo, you know before things got bad.”

“Did he kiss you?” Asked Kate, wide eyed.

“Yes, he did. When he walked me to my door, he kissed me goodnight. And no, in case you were wondering, Seth, I didn’t have sex with him. I’m not that easy.”

“Then I guess I should be proud of myself,” he smirked. “I didn’t even need to take you on a date to get in those tight, little jeans of yours.”

Both Al and Kate rolled their eyes at that little comment.

“You gonna see him again, Al?” Asked Kate.

“I hope so. It was only four days ago, so we haven’t had another chance yet. Now I’ll be gone for three weeks, so it won’t be for awhile if we do. He did mention something when we talked yesterday, about hoping to see me again when I get back.”

Kate squealed, “I’m so excited for you! This might be the start of something big. You’re gonna have to let me know everything that happens after you get back.”

“Duh. Who else would I tell?” Smiled Al. “I’ve got some other big news for ya too.”

“And that would be?” Asked Seth.

“I’m moving. I bought a house on the suburbs.”

“Why” Asked Richie, clearly not understanding the appeal.

“Well mostly because I didn’t really want to keep living in the house I shared with Vincenzo anymore. Everywhere I looked I saw his shit, and it was a constant reminder. So one day I kinda freaked out, and got rid of all his shit. I donated his clothes to charity, and sold all his sell-able things, and all the things he ever bought me. I even sold his Cadillac. The way I saw it, I didn’t need it anyway. Then all that was left was a change in scenery. So, for a little more than what my place was actually worth, I got a place in the suburbs that was twice the size, all updated, three big bedrooms instead of two tiny ones, a dedicated office space, an extra bathroom, a two car garage, and a big, beautiful backyard. No more street parking, and no more tiny balcony. I can finally have a garden again after almost forty years. It’s gonna be nice. You guys have to come see it.”

“That’s awesome!” Said Kate. “Of course we’ll come see it. When do you move in?”

“In the end of February. I was actually hoping you guys would come out for my birthday in April. I’ll be all set by then, and the weather should be starting to get a little warmer.” 

“Your birthday!” Shouted Kate. “Of course we’ll be there. Won’t we, Richie?”

“Sure,” he grimaced. “Who doesn’t like cold ass Chicago in the beginning of spring?”

“Richie,” pouted Kate.

“Of course we’ll go, baby,” he reassured. “We’re do a trip anyway. We’ve been stuck around here since before my birthday. Jesus, that’s over six months already.”

“Seth?” Asked Al.

“I might as well,” he said. “If they’re going, I’m in.”

“Good,” said Al. “Now that that’s settled, what’s the plan for tonight?”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was just Kate and Al now, just what Kate wanted. She wanted to ask the older Vespertilio for some advice before dinner.

“Al,” she whispered, so she didn’t get the guy's attention. “Can I show you something?”

“Sure Kate,” she replied. “What’s with all the secrecy?”

“It’s a surprise for Richie, for Christmas. I want your opinion.”

They headed off trying not to catch the guy’s attention. Kate took Al to her bedroom, and closed the door behind them. 

“It must be some surprise, the way you’re acting,” laughed Al.

Kate rolled her eyes at her, then went to her closet. She pulled out a little bag. From the bag she pulled out a sexy little number. It was a navy blue, lace, Babydoll chemise. It was followed by a garter belt and thong set of the same color.

Al’s eyes shot open, and she smirked. “I don’t think he’s gonna fit in that.”

“Really?” Asked Kate, giving her an annoyed look.

“Well, if you’re asking if he’s gonna like it,” chuckled Al, “Then I think you picked out the right one. There’s no way he’s not gonna want you in that.”

Kate smiled. “I’m glad you think so, but that’s only part of it.”

“What else do you need?” Asked Al with a laugh.

“Well, I have these five inch heels that go with it, that I think he’ll also like.”

“I would say yes to that as well.”

“But I want to do more than dress sexy for him. I was thinking of maybe dancing for him.”

“Like a lap dance?”

“Yeah.”

“I think he’ll like that too. I mean, I’ve spent a lot of time in Seth’s head, unfortunately. Those two went to a lot of strip clubs. Like an unnatural amount. And while I think it was mostly Seth’s idea, Richie never seemed to complain.”

“I know,” said Kate, rolling her eyes. “Those two are totally gross with each other’s encouragement. But you see, that’s the problem.”

“What is?”

“He’s had a lot of really good lap dances, and I have no idea what I’m doing.”

“Kate,” laughed Al. “Richie loves you, like everything about you. From the way you laugh, to the way you smell, to the way you look, to the way you touch him. He’ll like whatever dance you do for him.”

“I know, but I want him to really enjoy it, not just like it because I’m doing it.”

“Trust me, Kate. You’ll do fine. Hell, I by no means have the nicest body in the world, but Vincenzo used to love when I did that for him. It’s sexy to them that you want to do it for them.”

“You’ve done it before?” Asked a now even more curious Kate.

“Once or twice,” smirked Alessandra.

“How did you do it? I mean without feeling like a total idiot.”

“Confidence,” said Al. “I mean, at first it’s kind of weird, but you’ll get the hang of it. If you want, I can show you some of the moves I used. I mean, I’m by no means a professional, but it did the trick.”

“Could you?” Asked an excited Kate.

“For you, anything,” said Al. “If you want, I’ll even demonstrate for you, and you can practice on me if you want. I’ll always give honest feedback. Oh I just had a thought. What about Kisa? She used to do this for a living. I’m sure she could help both of us out. You know, in case things go well with Sean. Maybe I should brush up on my skills too.”

“Can I start with you? I’d like to not look like a total disaster in front of her.”

“Sure,” said Al. “I’ll be your beginner class. She can be our advanced class. That way, you’ll be sure to get him going. And then I can finally get my own lap dance from a real stripper. It's gonna be fun. When did you want to start?”


	3. Kate's Birthday Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the show, it's the after party. And after the party, it's the hotel lobby. . . or in this case Kate and Richie's bedroom.
> 
> Tidbit: When they got there, the others were already seated at their table. Kate made her way around the table to hug everyone and thank them for coming out for her birthday. She was so busy greeting all her guests, she didn’t even notice the extra chairs at the table. Not even as she finally sat down next to Richie.

Kate, Richie, Seth, and Alessandra made their way to Lasandro’s for Kate’s birthday dinner. They would be meeting Kisa, Marisol, Freddie, and Maggie there, so it was going to be a large group. Kate was thrilled that everyone was making it out for her birthday, well except Scott. 

When they got there, the others were already seated at their table. Kate made her way around the table to hug everyone and thank them for coming out for her birthday. She was so busy greeting all her guests, she didn’t even notice the extra chairs at the table. Not even as she finally sat down next to Richie. 

He put her arm around the back of her chair as they got settled in. Everyone was looking at their menus and making small talk when a voice rang out from behind them.

“Sorry. Am I late?” 

Kate spun around at the sound of her brother’s voice. 

“Scott?!” She yelled, jumping from her seat. “What are you doing here? I thought you were in New Orleans?”

“I was. I mean we were,” he said gesturing to the girl standing behind him. “Kate I’d like you to meet Antoinette, my girlfriend.”

Antoinette stuck her hand out towards Kate, smiling, “Hi. You can call me Toni. I’ve heard so much about you, I’m glad to finally meet you. Happy birthday by the way.”

Kate’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. Not only did Scott surprise her for her birthday, which was perfect, he brought a girl with him. His girlfriend, he said. And clearly Richie knew about this because the reservation included enough chairs for both of them.

Kate shook Toni’s hand, and she and Scott made it to their seats. Scott introduced her to everyone else at the table, and they all gave her a warm welcome.

“Happy birthday, baby,” Richie whispered in Kate’s ear.

“You,” she said, seeing the big, stupid grin on his face. “You knew about this? How long did you know he was seeing someone?”

“Relax, Katie,” he said. “I only found out a few days ago when I called to make sure he was coming. He told me he was bringing a guest. I figured it would only add to the surprise.”

“Well I’m very surprised, that’s for sure.”

“Are you mad that I didn’t tell you he was coming?”

“No, baby,” she smiled. “I love the surprise. And I’m glad he’s here, and that he finally has a girlfriend.”

During dinner, Kate talked a lot with everyone, but especially Toni, who she was curious about. She had to make sure she was the right kind of girl for her baby brother. As it turned out, he met her at one of his shows a little over a month ago. She was a Culebra, and after seeing the show, she figured out he and the rest of the band were also Culebras. So she went to talk to them after the show. She and Scott really hit it off, and the rest was history. 

Toni was much older than she looked. To the unsuspecting eye, she may look nineteen, but she was actually turned in the mid-nineties on a spring break trip to Cancun. The Culebra who turned her had taught her a lot of bad habits, like how Cancun was ripe with prey, and that all were fair game. But after thinking about how her family must have felt when she never came home, she decided it was wrong to do to someone else, and she eventually left him. She learned to deal with her cravings, and started looking for her food in places frequented by people who didn’t deserve to be missed. So, in essence, she fed on criminals like Scott and Richie did. By the end of the night, Kate had decided that she was actually a good fit, and was glad Scott found someone like her. 

After they cleared the dinner plates, the waiters and waitresses surrounded the table to bring out a birthday cake for Kate, and to her embarrassment, sang happy birthday loud enough for the whole restaurant to hear. 

Kate blew out her candles after making her birthday wish, then everyone enjoyed a slice before they handed Kate their gifts. She opened each one and thanked everyone in turn. 

When it was finally time to go, everyone said their goodbyes. Kate noticed that even the Ranger gave Richie a smile and a handshake. It made her think there was hope for them yet. She hugged Toni, telling her it was nice to meet her, then she turned to Scott. Kate hung on to him for dear life. She missed her brother, and was so glad he ended up making it to her birthday.

“I really like Toni a lot,” she whispered in his ear. “I’m so happy for you.”

“Thanks,” he said back. “I knew you would. Just wait until you get to spend more time with her. We’ll both be back for Christmas in a few weeks. We’ll come for the party at the Jacknife and stay through Christmas Day. Then we have to get back on the road the following morning. Got to get back to New Orleans for a few more shows.”

“Okay,” she sighed. “I’m really glad you came. I miss you.”

“I miss you too,” said Scott. “Happy birthday, Kate. I love you.”

“I love you too, Scott. 

That’s when they parted. Scott walked out with Toni, and Kate grabbed Richie’s free hand as they walked back to the car. He was carrying all her birthday bags in his other. Seth and Al got the few remaining boxes, so Kate didn’t even need to carry a thing. The four of them headed back to the Jackninfe for a last round of drinks to celebrate the birthday girl’s twenty-first. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When they got back to Jacknife Jed’s it was still buzzing with people, and they were going to head to their private area to hang out for the rest of the night. But before they made it downstairs, Seth stopped by the bar and whispered something to the bartender. Then he headed to the stage. The band stopped playing and handed him the mic.

“Hello, and welcome to Jacknife Jeds,” he said in the mic. “You guys might not have known it, but you are all here on a special night. Tonight is my friend, Kate’s, twenty-first birthday. Everybody say hi to Kate.”

Kate was completely embarrassed as the bar patrons turned to look at her. It didn’t help that Al was wildly gesturing towards her so everyone knew who exactly Seth was talking about. 

“So,” he continued. “I was hoping everyone here could help us celebrate Kate’s birthday, and since it’s her twenty-first, I’m buying everyone in here a round of shots.”

The place erupted as the waiters and waitresses brought out trays of shots. The shots were all handed out, with Kate getting a special birthday cake shot of her own.

Seth held his out in a toast, “Happy birthday, Princess.”

He took his and the whole bar followed. Then the band broke out in an instrumental happy birthday to which half the patrons sang along too. 

Kate hurried, embarrassed to the elevator, but inside, she secretly liked it. She would never admit that to Seth though.

The four of them continued the night in their little family room. They had snacks and drinks, and just hung out until after midnight. That’s when Seth called it a night, stating he was only one of the four of them that had to get up early enough to actually work today, so he was exhausted.

The look he gave Richie as he left went unnoticed by Kate, but Al saw it. She also saw the look Richie gave back. It made her wonder what the Hell was up, but she soon forgot all about it as Kate started asking her more about Sean.

About fifteen minutes later, Richie nudged Kate, asking her if she was ready to go to sleep. Al and Kate looked at each other and rolled their eyes, figuring he may want to go to bed, but sleeping in it was probably not what he had in mind. 

Kate hugged Al goodnight and followed Richie back to their room. Al headed up to the bar, figuring she would stay until last call. She was a night person anyway.

Richie stopped just outside of their closed bedroom door, and let out a long sigh. Kate raised her eyebrows at his general weirdness.

“Before we go in,” he said. “I have one more birthday surprise for you.”

“Okay?”

“You know how I got you that sexy birthday basket?”

“Yeah.”

“I got it so we could work on the things on our list. But I couldn’t fit everything from the list in the basket.”

“Again, okay?”

“And because I love you, I thought we could knock one more thing off tonight if you’re up to it.”

“If you’re asking if I’m too tired, I’m not. Why are you acting so weird about it?”

“You’ll see,” said Richie, giving an awkward smile.

He opened the door slowly and ushered Kate inside. As soon as she stepped over the threshold, she saw what he was talking about. Seth was laying on their bed with a big red bow wrapped around his chest.

“Surprise, Princess,” he said with a smirk.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

“Seth?” Asked a very surprised Kate. “What are you doing in our room?”

“Why don’t you ask your boyfriend,” Seth smirked back. “It was his idea.”

“Richie?” She asked, turning to him.

“It’s the only thing on your list that I couldn’t fit in the basket,” shrugged Richie. “A threesome.”

“Richie?!” Yelped Kate. “Are you serious?”

“Yes?” He replied. “If you want me to be.”

“Of all the people in the world, you picked Seth?”

“Hey,” said Seth. “What’s wrong with me?”

“Nothing,” said Kate. “Just you’re his brother. Isn’t that gonna be weird?”

“You said pick someone I was comfortable with,” said Richie. “And when I really thought about it, he was really the only one I was comfortable with touching you like that. I’d break anyone else’s arm if they laid a finger on you.”

Kate could believe that, she’d seen him do it before. Hell, he killed a man for pinching her on the ass. He could get a little overprotective at times, both brothers could actually. 

“So neither of you think this is weird?” Asked Kate.

“Are you comfortable with him?” Asked Richie.

“Yeah. Next to you, there isn’t anyone else I’m more comfortable with.”

“Then no,” he said. “I don’t think it’s weird. Plus you said I didn’t have to do anything with the guy. So it’s not like we’ll be. . . touching. Besides, who did you think I was gonna pick?”

“Yeah,” chimed in Seth. “It’s not like he has many friends. Or any really.”

Richie gave Seth a look, so naturally he smirked back at his younger brother. 

“Honestly,” sighed Kate. “I don’t know. I never thought you’d say yes to it in the first place.”

“Do you still want to?” Asked Richie. “We don’t have to if you don’t.”

“Of course I still want to,” she said. Then she turned to Seth. “And you’re okay with this?”

“Well,” said Seth. “I can’t say this isn’t one of the oddest requests my brother ever asked of me, but yeah, I’m in.”

“Okay,” said Kate. “So. . . how do we go about this?”

Richie just shrugged.

“You can start by unwrapping me,” snickered Seth. “I’m the present after all.”

Kate raised her eyebrow in sarcasm at that, shaking her head. But since she honestly had no idea how things like this even started, she glanced back at Richie.

He just shrugged back, “I’ve never done this either, Kate.”

“You’re not gonna get all weird, are you? I mean when he touches me, or I touch him?”

“No,” said Richie. “It’ll take a little getting used to, but I think it might actually be kinda hot.”

“Really?” She asked.

“Potentially,” shrugged Richie. “I guess we’ll find out.”

“Okay,” she said. “But no offense to you, Seth, I want to start with Richie. I’m used to him, and I think I’ll be more comfortable that way. I think once I get more comfortable and more in the mood, this will go a lot smoother.”

“Whatever works for you, Princess,” smiled Seth. “It’s your party.”

Kate took Richie by the hand and walked him over to the bed. Then she tilted her head up and kissed him. It started out kind of shy, but slowly grew heated and passionate. His hands eased around her waist as he pulled her in close.

That’s when Kate broke the kiss, and pushed him back on the bed, sitting him next to his brother. They were both watching her, and Kate felt a tinge of heat spread across her cheeks at having an audience. Up until now, Richie was the only one who ever saw her act this way, but she wanted this. She knew it would get easier once she got settled in and things actually got started.

She leaned down to Richie and kissed him again, deeply. Then she turned to Seth, and pulled the bow loose. For the first time ever, she leaned to kiss him too. Kate placed her lips to his, unsure how far to go with it. Seth must have sensed her unsuredness and eventually took the lead, parting her lips with his. 

His hot, slippery tongue slipped into Kate’s mouth, meeting her tongue. It swirled around hers, running around it. Kate put her hands on Seth’s shoulders, leaning into it. She was standing between his legs, his hands were on her hips. Suddenly it didn’t feel weird anymore.

Kate pulled back and looked at both of them, still watching her. Seth had this cocky little smile on, and to Kate’s surprise, Richie didn’t look even the slightest bit uncomfortable. In fact, he had a look in his eyes that said he was enjoying it. She was very familiar with that look, his glossy eyes full of need.

“I want you to undress for me,” said Kate with slight authority. “Both of you. Slowly.”

Both Richie and Seth obliged, starting to loosen their ties and unbutton their shirts one button at a time. Kate looked back and forth between them as they peeled their shirts off nearly in unison, tossing them aside. Then they both lifted their undershirts over their heads, and threw them off next to their other shirts.

They were both shirtless and spectacular, thought Kate. That’s when she started undressing herself. She lifted her sweater over her head and threw it aside like the boys did. Then she unzipped her jeans, letting them fall to the floor before stepping out of them and kicking them away.

Both Seth and Richie had the same look on their faces, pure lust, as she stood before them in only a bra and panties. Now Kate was really starting to enjoy this.

She sashayed over to Richie, and straddled his lap. She kissed him deeply, rustling her fingers through his hair, mussing it up. She ground down on him, feeling him growing beneath her. Then she pulled back, biting her lip, staring him in the eyes, then gave him a sexy pout. She ground down on him again, rubbing his growing erection, and he let out a soft grunt. She kissed him hard one last time before getting up, and removing his belt at the same time.

Kate made her way over to Seth and straddled him too. She kissed him just as passionately as she kissed Richie, grinding down, and feeling his solid length for the first time. She broke the kiss suddenly, pulling his bottom lip between her teeth. She got up and removed his belt just like she did Richie’s.

“Stand up,” she ordered, and both followed.

She wrapped her arms around Richie’s neck, pulling his mouth to hers. She slowly moved her hands down his chest, his stomach, then to his fully solid cock. He grunted again as she rubbed him, still with her lips to his. Never breaking the kiss, Kate undid his pants, and let them drop to the floor.

Then Kate made her way over to Seth, doing the same. She ran her fingers through his short hair, down his neck, down the swell of his pecs, to his solid stomach. She grabbed him through his slacks too, stroking him up and down as he moaned into her mouth. She undid his pants with the same ease and skill she did Richie’s. Now they all stood in their underwear, Seth in his boxers, and Richie in his briefs. 

To switch things up this time, Kate started with Seth. She licked his lips, giving them several soft, little kisses. Then she kissed down his neck, down his chest, and got on her knees before him. She licked her way down his stomach, and he gave an excited flinch as she made it lower and lower.

She grabbed the top of his boxers, and pulled them down, revealing to her for the first time, the elder Gecko’s fully naked body. His cock sprung forth as she removed his boxers. It wasn’t quite as long as Richie’s, but it was just as thick. 

Kate wrapped her hand around his base, and stroked to the top. Seth tilted his head back and made a little noise as she did. She stroked him a few times, up and down. Then she bent forward and licked his tip, giving it a long, slow lap. He breathed in sharply at the sensation of her tongue on his most sensitive part.

Then Kate looked up at Richie, who was watching her every move. She gave him a sly, little smile as she continued holding his brother’s cock. She licked Seth base to tip while staring Richie in the eyes. She saw his nostrils flare, and he very obviously gulped at the sight, enjoying it all.

Kate turned her eyes back to Seth, licking around his head, and finding that sensitive spot and flicking it aggressively with her tongue. She licked him down to the base and then back up, never breaking eye contact.

She made her way over to Richie and without getting off her knees, removed his briefs. She kissed his tip as he sprung free. Then she told him to sit on the bed, and he did. Seth sat beside him, keeping a good view of what was to come.

Kate knelt between Richie’s legs and gripped him firmly. She stroked him up and down, and sucked his tip into her mouth. She gently licked and sucked on it. Then she removed her lips from around him, stared him directly in the eyes, and flicked her tongue just under the head, causing him to shiver and hiss as she hit the right spot, over and over.

She kissed down his length to his balls, gently licking and kissing them before taking them into her mouth and lightly sucking. He groaned as she worked them. That’s when she licked her way back up to the top, and making eye contact with Seth, licked Richie’s tip like a lollipop.

Then Kate left his swollen member, and stood between the brothers. She unhooked her bra and let it fall to the ground. Then she slowly slid her panties down her legs. The brothers watched, unblinking. 

She made her way back over to Richie, kissing him again. He took his hand and caressed her breast. Kate let him squeeze and massage her, as his other hand found it’s way between her legs. He let one finger slide along her, causing her to moan. She was already slick with desire, but Richie was going to make her good and wet before they started.

Kate pulled her lips from his and moved her hand towards Seth. He got closer, squeezing her other breast. She moved her head to kiss him, and their lips met. Richie kissed and licked along her chest as they did, replacing the hand he had on her breast with his warm mouth, sucking and teasing her nipple.

Richie slide his finger inside Kate, and it made her jump. She moaned into Seth’s mouth as his younger brother began to pump that one, long digit in and out of her. She was sloppy wet now, and he felt so good inside her.

Kate pulled away from both of them, and told Seth to sit at the top of the bed. He did, resting his back on the headboard. She climbed up after him, spreading his legs, and leaning between them. Richie got behind her, kneeling on the bed.

“You ready, Katie,” he said, grabbing her hips.

“Oh yeah,” she moaned. “Give it to me, baby.”

Richie smirked, and took a hold of his cock, guiding himself to her. He got the tip in, and Kate moaned, biting her lip and pushing back to meet him as he slid in. 

Seth thought everything about this was hot as fuck now. The look on Kate’s face, the fact she was between his legs, just inches from his throbbing cock, and even watching Richie enter her. God damn, he thought. He never did a threesome with another guy, but he was liking it more than he ever thought he would. 

Richie started slowly pumping into Kate, grabbing her hips and pulling her towards him with each thrust. That’s when she grabbed Seth’s cock, stroking him up and down. She put her mouth around his tip, and slid it down his length. He moaned at the sensation.

Richie was oddly turned on by the sight of his brother’s cock in Kate’s mouth. She worked her one hand up and down in unison with her mouth, a skill she had perfected on his own cock. He had never seen her do this from this angle. It was different, and while he absolutely loved his regular point of view, this one definitely had its perks.

“Mmmm, fuck yeah,” he grunted behind Kate. “You’re so fucking hot right now. Suck that cock, baby. You feel so fucking good, Kate.”

Kate moaned around Seth’s cock as Richie thrust harder and faster into her. God did he feel good, she thought. She always loved how he felt in this position. He seemed to get deeper, and the way he held her hips, pulling her to meet him, it just always felt amazing. And the feeling of Seth’s cock filling her mouth at the same time, it was glorious. 

They continued at it, the moans, grunting, and cussing filling the room. Richie pumped away at Kate from behind, slapping her ass every once in awhile, making Kate squeal and moan around Seth. She was actually moaning quite regularly now, because everything felt amazing. 

All the moaning around his cock, sent shivers up Seth’s spine. Kate felt fantastic as she sucked, licked, kissed, and stroked him. She was fucking phenomenal, he thought. Richie was a lucky man; not that he already didn’t think that just because he was with Kate to begin with, but this just cemented the notion. He could stay here like this all night, and never get tired of the way her lips and tongue felt on him, but he wanted in that pussy too. 

“Fuck, Kate,” he grunted. “God damn, it feels good.”

“You like that, brother,” panted Richie as he continued working Kate, slapping his hips to her ass with every thrust. “Is my Katie sucking that cock how you like it?”

“Oooohhhhh, yeah,” moaned Seth. 

“You like my brother’s cock, Kate?” Asked Richie. “You like taking us both?”

“Mmmhmmm,” moaned Kate in agreeance around Seth’s cock.

“You wanna switch?” Asked Richie, looking at Seth. “Feel this tight, hot pussy?”

“Mmmmm, you read my mind,” moaned Seth.

Kate released Seth from her mouth and hand as he got up to get a condom from the box on the nightstand. He brought them because Richie had informed him that he never used them with Kate. As a Culebra, he might not be able to knock Kate up, but Seth sure could, so condom it was.

Kate continued moaning as Richie didn’t let up, “Oh, fuck, baby. Mmmmmm. Oh Goooood, Richie.”

Kate saw Seth get the condom on and start moving behind her for the switch, but she suddenly realized how close she was.

“Oh, God, Richie don’t stop, baby,” she moaned. “I’m so close, baby. Ooohhh, fuck me, Richie. Yes, yes, yes! Oooohhhhh Goooood!”

Richie kept fucking her at her request. He pushed her head to the mattress, and thrust harder, and deeper. She was howling and panting in between trying to say his name.

Seth stroked himself lazily as Kate came, loudly around Richie’s cock. When she was finished, Richie pulled out. He made his way in front of Kate, sitting on the bed like Seth had earlier. Seth was now kneeling behind her.

They gave her a few minutes to recover. Letting her catch her breath. Richie stroked himself in front of her, using her juices like a lubricant, and she eyed him lustfully. She liked watching him do that, especially when he rounded his tip with his thumb, and he knew it.

“You ready, baby?” He asked, looking into her sex glazed eyes.

Kate licked her lips and moaned, “Mmmmm, yeah.”

Then she put her mouth around his tip, and glided down his length, following his hand down as far as she could. She cupped his balls and lightly squeezed. That’s when he moved his hand to her head, lightly pulling at her hair as she worked him.

Seth lined himself up behind her, and for the first time, slid into Kate’s hot, wet pussy. She constricted around him as he pushed in deeper, and he moaned at the feeling. Kate responded with a moan of her own at the feel of him filling her.

She looked up into Richie’s eyes. God was this hot, she thought. She had Richie’s cock in her mouth, and she could look him in the eyes, and still feel full as Seth slid his thick cock in and out of her. 

Seth pumped in and out of Kate at a steady pace, reveling in the feeling. He watched her lap at Richie’s cock, and saw his brother’s eyes close as his head tilted back, and he let out a long moan. How was this even fucking hotter than when she was sucking his cock? He didn’t know, but God was he about to explode. 

Kate was working Richie fast now, and he was panting, moaning her name, and cussing. He was gently pushing her farther down his shaft, so she knew if she kept this pace he would be coming soon, and Seth was quickly working her towards her second orgasm of the night too. She massaged Richie’s balls to move him along faster. She wanted to taste him. 

“Oooohhhh, fuck, Kate,” groaned Richie. “Ughhh, that’s it baby.”

She popped him from her mouth but continued stroking him, “You gonna cum for me, baby? I wanna drink you up, Richie. You better cum hard, for me. ‘Cause I’m gonna swallow it all, baby.”

Richie sucked in a long breath as she flicked along that spot for him. Then let out that same breath shakily as she took him fully into her mouth again.

God damn, thought Seth. When did Kate start talking like that? That was hot as fuck. He felt that familiar tingling in his balls now, he was going to cum soon too.

“God damn that’s hot, Kate,” he panted behind her, thrusting harder now. “You’re a dirty little girl, swallowing my brother’s cock like that. And this tight, little pussy, mmmm. So fucking good. You gonna cum for me too?”

Kate moaned a yes around Richie’s cock. 

It wasn’t long until Richie started squirming, “Mmmmm, fuuuuck, Kate. Ooooh yeah. I’m gonna cum, baby. Aaahhhh fuck.”

He let out a loud grunt as he shot his first spurts into Kate’s mouth, closed tight around him. She pulled back, swallowing then leaving her mouth open so she could aim the rest onto her tongue. She knew how much he liked when she did that, and she always wanted to please him the best she could.

She was moaning now too, as Richie started dribbling what was left. She licked him clean while moaning as Seth continued pumping away. She was close, so close.

That’s when Richie leaned forward and pushed Kate’s head to the mattress again. It was the best angle to hit that spot, and he knew she was almost there.

“Ohhhh,” she moaned. “Mmmmm. Yes! Oh fuck, Seth. Oooohhh, right there. Yes!”

Seth fucked her harder, hitting that spot for her, and she started falling apart beneath him. She screamed his name and moaned, and then it was over for him too. He couldn’t hold out any longer. He clenched his hands to her hips, bruisingly tight, and grunted a loud “fuuuuuck”, as his rhythm faltered and became erratic. 

He came harder than he had in long awhile. This was one of the hottest nights of his life, no doubt about it. Threesomes with two girls were amazing, but this, this was fucking fantastic. He wasn’t sure if they would do it again, but he was glad they did it at least once.

When it was all said and done, Kate laid snuggled up against Richie’s chest, under the covers. Seth lay to her other side, his arm lazily wrapped around her. They were worn out, and exhausted. Hands down, thought Kate, this was the best birthday ever.


	4. Where My Ho's At?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas at the Jacknife!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays everyone! I worked extra hard this week to try to get an extra chapter out before Christmas. Hope you enjoy my Christmas chapter.

It was Christmas time at Jacknife Jed’s, and like every year since the Gecko’s took over, it would be closed for the next four days, along with the other two bars they owned. They always closed the day before Christmas Eve through the day after Christmas Day so the staff could enjoy their holiday, if they celebrated it. Even if they didn’t, they still gave them paid, holiday time off. It was a nice gesture, that was oddly suggested by Richie. 

Usually Richie found whatever way he could to make more money, but he treated his employees well, and wanted to show them that he appreciated them. So he was very generous with paid holidays and vacation time. He was also extremely reasonable with sick time, and requests off. For a thief who spent most of his adult life robbing banks and shooting people, he was a strangely caring boss. Although, in return, he expected loyalty. It was still one of the things Kate liked most about him, his kindness, and complexity as a person. 

On the other hand, Seth liked to party. So his idea of a nice gesture to the staff was a holiday party the day before Christmas Eve at the Jacknife. All employees from all three of the bars were invited. It was catered, and all expenses paid, booze included. The staff appreciated that as well. He also usually got them all a little something from the both of them. No employee would ever say that either brother wasn’t considerate or generous.

It was nearly time for the party to start. Kisa and Marisol were on their way, as well as Scott and Toni. As Kate, Richie, and Seth sat in the family room, Alessandra walked in holding three bags. 

“Here guys,” she said. “I got you a little something for tonight.”

“Al,” said Kate. “You didn’t have to get us anything. Plus we’re doing gifts on Christmas Day.”

“No, no, no,” smiled Al. “ These aren’t part of your Christmas gifts. Trust me, this is more for me than anything.”

She handed them each a bag. They all dug into their bags at the same time at her urging, and pulled out green, Christmas sweaters, each with the word “HO” written in red glitter. Kate liked it, but Richie and Seth gave her identical looks of confusion and annoyance. 

“I’m not wearing this,” said Seth.

“Oh come on,” giggled Al. “Please? Just for tonight.”

“No fuckin’ way,” he said.

“Please,” she begged. “If you don’t, mine won’t make as much sense.”

“What the fuck do you mean?” Asked Seth, pointing to her plain gray sweater. “How does this have anything to do with that?”

“Oh,” she smirked. "Not this.”

Then she pulled her gray sweater over her head, revealing a totally different sweater underneath. It was a black, ugly sweater with red, green, and white patterns on it. In the center it had a picture of a gangsta Santa, with the phrase “Where my ho’s at?” in solid white writing. 

“Santa needs three ho’s,” she laughed. “That’s why all three of you need to wear them. Will you please be my ho tonight?”

Seth smiled and shook his head, “Well in that case, I guess I have to.”

He took his vest off, and pulled the sweater over his black shirt. Kate laughed and put hers on too. It was Richie that just stood there.

“Richie, baby,” said Kate. “Put on your sweater.”

“I don’t want to,” he said. “I hate Christmas sweaters.”

“Stop being such a baby,” said Seth. “Just put on the damn sweater, Richard.”

“Please?” Asked Al, giving him a pleading smile.

“Come on, baby,” pouted Kate, rubbing his arm.

“Do I have to?” He asked.

“Yes,” said Kate. “Now stop being a party pooper, and take off that jacket. It’s a party, Richie, you don’t have to be so fancy anyway.”

Richie sighed, but took his jacket off, placing it over the couch next to Seth’s vest. Then he pulled the sweater on.

“I love it!” Squealed Al. “You guys look great!”

“Richie,” laughed Kate, covering her mouth with her hands. “You look so cute in your sweater, baby.” She leaned up for a quick kiss. “Let’s go party, baby.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The party was buzzin’ a few hours later. Almost everyone who saw the group together laughed at the sweaters. Kisa on the other hand, didn’t quite understand it. Marisol had to explain it to her. Then she gave a short laugh, but still didn’t really understand why it was so funny. Scott and Toni loved them though.

“The funny part is, out of the three of you, Seth is the only real Ho,” laughed Scott. 

They all burst out laughing, except Seth, who said, “That’s real funny, Karate Kid. Real funny.”

“You’re the one that always brags about it,” laughed Scott.

The night was going well, everyone was eating, laughing, drinking, and dancing. Richie brought Kate and himself another round of eggnog as they stood by the bar. He even brought her another Christmas Tree sugar cookie. It was the size of her hand, and covered in green frosting, sprinkles, and candy ornaments and lights.

“Thanks, baby,” she said, grabbing the cookie. “These are so good. We should get more stuff from that bakery from now on.”

“Anything for my baby,” he said, nuzzling her neck.

Kate wiggled at the light contact, giggling, “Richie.”

Richie stole a bite of her cookie, and she gave him a dirty look, ceasing all laughter.

“Would you relax,” he chuckled. “There’s plenty more. And I promise to get you your own personal dozen next time I go. Besides, you haven’t even tried the gingerbread men yet, and they’re pretty good too.”

“Well give me a bite of yours then,” she smirked.

He rolled his eyes, smiled, and handed her his cookie.

“Mmmm! This is good,” she smirked, then took another bite.

“You said one bite,” he chuckled.

“I lied,” she said, taking another.

“I should have known better,” he smirked, pulling her to him. “You’re untrustworthy when it comes to desserts. If it really came down to it, I wouldn’t put it past you to choose them over me.”

“I’d probably still choose you, but I can’t say for sure. It really depends on the dessert.”

Richie huffed and smiled at that.

Kate put the cookie back on the bar-top, and wrapped her arms around Richie’s neck, giving him a quick peck on the lips. Then she put her head against his chest, embracing the warmth and firmness of his body against hers, “Although, no dessert could ever give me this, and I would really miss this if you weren’t around.”

Richie put his arms around her waist, and they started swaying to the beat of Bing Crosby’s White Christmas. Kate loved slow dancing with Richie. He was so smooth and fluid in his movements, and she loved being this close to him. 

When the song changed to Baby it’s Cold Outside, he picked up the pace a little. Taking Kate’s hand, Richie spun her around. Then he pulled her back in close, against his chest. Kate looked up at him and smiled, he was already looking down into her eyes and smiling back.

“Hey, Kate,” said Scott as he walked back over to them with Toni. “Have you checked out that hot chocolate stand yet? It’s fuckin’ awesome. Guy’s got all kinds of chocolate and toppings, and makes it to order.”

“No,” she said, turning in Richie’s arms, leaning against his chest while looking at her brother. “But those certainly look delicious.”

“I got the old fashion chocolate with marshmallows,” he said. “Like mom used to make, but don’t tell her, this is way better.”

“I won’t,” she chuckled. “What did you get Toni? All I can see is a mountain of whipped cream.”

“I got a white chocolate peppermint, and it’s probably one of the best things I’ve ever put in my mouth.”

“It’s the quality of the chocolate,” stated Richie. “I got it all imported from a chocolatier in Belgium.”

“Of course you did,” smirked Scott.

“What’s this I hear about imported, Belgian chocolate?” Asked Al, as she and Seth joined them, followed my Kisa and Marisol. “I love me some chocolate.”

“Oh,” said Seth, rolling his eyes. “Is he going on about that fucking chocolate again?”

“I wasn’t going on about it, Seth,” said a now agitated Richie. “I was just merely pointing out that the reason the hot chocolate is so good, is because I got the finest chocolates and ingredients from one of the best chocolatiers in Belgium.”

“What’s wrong with the powdered shit Uncle Eddie used to make us as kids?”

“Nothing. Just this is better.”

“Stop!” Said Kate, sternly. “Both of you knock it off. It’s a Christmas party, now act like adults. Richie just wanted to do something special for everyone, Seth, so stop baiting him. And you,” she said turning to Richie. “Stop taking the bait, and go get us some hot chocolate. I wanna try it.”

“What kind do you want?” Asked Richie, shyly. 

“The same as Scott,” she said.

“I’ll go with,” said Al, with a smile. “I’d like to try it as well. Nothing says the holiday’s like hot chocolate to me.”

“I’ve never had hot chocolate,” said Kisa. 

“No?” Asked Kate. “You should try it. I think you’ll like it.”

“It’s not that big of a deal,“ said Seth. “I prefer the eggnog.”

“That’s because there’s rum in the nog,” laughed Scott. “There isn’t any alcohol in the hot chocolate, so it’s not a surprise you don’t like it.”

“I didn’t say I don’t like it, just that it’s not as big of a deal as you guys are making it seem.”

“There are some with alcohol,” said Richie, smirking. “I made sure to have that on the list. One has baileys and peppermint liquor, and the other is made with bourbon. I also had them add Mexican spiced chocolate to the menu for you Marisol. I know how much you like the stuff.”

“Gracias, Richie,” smiled Marisol. “Kisa, we’ll get one of those, mi amor. I know you’ll like it.”

They headed off to the stand to order their hot chocolate with Al right behind them. 

“You said one has bourbon in it?” Seth asked Richie.

“Yeah.”

“Hmmmm. Maybe I’ll try some after all,” he smirked. “Never had one spiked before.”

Then he and Richie walked over to the stand to get theirs and Kate’s.

“See,” laughed Scott. “I told you it was the alcohol.”

He, Toni, and Kate had a good laugh about it, and continued chatting until the others each came back with their hot chocolates.

When Kate finally tasted hers, she was in heaven. Scott was right, it was better than mama's. But it still reminded her of her happy, childhood Christmas memories. Like when mama would make it for the first time of the season, when they hung up their stockings and decorated the tree. It was a magical experience for a kid, and it brought a smile to her face just remembering it.

She kissed Richie on the cheek and smiled at his questioning look. He hooked his arm through hers, then smiled back.

It wasn’t long before Seth directed everyone’s attention to the huge tree they had set up in the back, center of the stage. There were little gift bags underneath it. He started passing out the little bags to all the employees. They were all filled the same, so none of them had names on it.

“Merry Christmas guys,” he said. “Thanks for another good year.”

Everyone opened their bag at the same time, revealing this year’s gift. He got them each stainless steel tumblers filled with bags of different kinds of hot cocoa, teas, and coffees, and gift cards for free massages. He also included their end of year bonus cash in a Christmas card.

The group started hooting and hollering, and thanking Seth and Richie. Then the party continued before dwindling down a few hours later.

When everyone was finally gone, the group headed down for bed. Since Kate now shared Richie’s room, Scott and Toni used her old room, and Al had the other guest room. Everyone fell asleep pretty quickly, and since the Jacknife was closed for the next few days, everyone got to sleep in as long as they wanted. It was perfect.

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It was Christmas Day, and the group of six was getting ready for their big, Christmas dinner. After that there would be gift swapping, and Christmas movies. It was cozy with just the six of them in the private quarters of the Jacknife. Their tree was set up in the corner of the living room, and brightly wrapped gifts and bags were piled underneath. 

They were currently in the kitchen preparing dinner, well most of them anyway. Seth had declared he didn’t cook, so there was no need for him to be in there. He was sitting in the living room with Scott and a couple glasses of bourbon. Everyone else was busy finishing up their dishes.

Richie was fussing about with his ham, and special, raspberry glaze. Kate and Al made jokes about how cute he looked in his apron, but he kept insisting that raspberry was hard to get out, and he told them to laugh all they wanted because he wasn’t going to ruin his shirt. That only served to make them laugh even more, since he never did his own laundry anyway; he got everything dry cleaned. 

Toni was making steamed, Yukon gold potatoes, which was a favorite side her mom used to make. Kate was taking care of the green beans, and making homemade biscuits like her mama used to make. Al was bringing a little old school Italian to this Christmas dinner. She had made some homemade cannoli earlier in the day for dessert. She was also about to take her lasagna out of the oven. 

It was certainly smelling delicious in the kitchen, and it was wafting out to Seth and Scott as they sat in the adjoining living room. Their mouths began to water at the amazing aroma. 

“Are you guys almost done in there?” Yelled Seth. “We’re wasting away out here waiting for you.”

“We’re sorry, your Highness,” chuckled Kate. “We know how busy you are out there, sitting on your ass while we slave away making your meal. But you’ll have to wait a little longer.”

“Hey,” he yelled back. “I put out the shrimp cocktail earlier, so it’s not like I did nothing.”

“Sorry,” laughed Alessandra. “We forgot just how difficult a task that was for you. We appreciate all your hard work, Seth.”

“Scott, did you set the table like I asked?” Asked Kate.

“Yes, Kate,” he said back, a little annoyed, rolling his eyes. Then he whispered to Seth, “Sometimes it’s like she turns into our mom. Especially around the holidays.”

“I’ve obviously never met you mom,” said Seth. “Nor do I remember mine, but I have definitely noticed her holiday mom tendencies over the last few years. I won’t be at all surprised when she starts knitting us sweaters and socks for gifts. I just hope they’re not God awful when she does.”

“You know Richie’s would be the worst,” laughed Scott. “And he would never say anything about it either. He would just wear them because she told him to.”

Seth really laughed at that, “You got that right, kid! I don’t get it. I don’t care how good it is, I’d never be that whipped. And the worst part is he doesn’t even see it.”

“He was like that before they even got together. So I don’t think sex has anything to do with it.”

“I know,” smirked Seth. “That’s the real sick part.”

They had a real good laugh about it, and before long, dinner was ready. Everyone sat around the table eating and chatting. It was all delicious, and everyone pigged out. When everyone was done, Seth tried to weasel out of doing the dishes, but Kate wouldn’t let him. 

“Oh no,” she laughed harshly. “Get your ass in this kitchen help with the dishes. You’re lucky we don’t make you and Scott do all of them.”

“No,” said Seth, matter of factly, crossing his arms.

“What was that?”

“I said no.”

Kate took a long, angry sounding breath, then yelled, “Seth Raymond Gecko, you get your ass in here! Now!” 

He gulped and made his way over to Scott at the sink. He knew she was serious because she used his middle name. Women only did that when they were really mad. Scott was laughing as Seth grabbed the other sponge and started scrubbing a pot. Then he made the whip gesture.

“I thought you said you would never be as whipped as Richie?” He laughed. “Looks like you already are.”

“Shut the fuck up. You know what it’s like when women are mad about something. They never let you live it down. That’s not being whipped. It’s being smart. Learn to pick your battles, boy. This is not one I could win. And it’s not worth the fight.”

They all gathered around the tree after the dishes were put away. They made Seth the “Santa”, because of his lack of Christmas spirit. He reluctantly passed out the gifts one by one. 

It was Kate and Richie’s first Christmas as a couple, so both of them felt the pressure. Not that either really cared what the other gave them, but they both wanted to give something that really mattered. 

Kate got Richie a beautiful, walnut, watch display case big enough for all ten of his watches. Which he really marveled at.

“Wow, Kate!” He beamed. “This is great. Thanks. You know I’m putting this on our dresser so we can see it, and all my watches, every time we walk in.”

“I had a feeling,” she laughed. “That’s why I picked one that goes with the rest of the room.”

“It’s perfect,” he smiled, giving her a quick kiss.

Richie got Kate the North Face fleece she wanted, and a white gold, infinity sign necklace, with a heart running through the middle that was covered in a pattern of small, alternating diamonds, emeralds, and blue topaz. 

“Richie, it’s beautiful,” beamed Kate.

“Since you seem to have a weird interest in zodiac signs and things like that, I got one that had our birthstones in it,” smiled Richie. “Because I’ll always love you.”

“Richie,” smiled Kate as she sat in his lap. She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a big kiss. “I’ll always love you too.” Then she kissed him again. “The blue stone is mine right? So yours must be the green one.”

“Yep,” he grinned. “Blue Topaz for December, and Emerald for May.”

“You’re so sweet, Richie,” said Kate, nuzzling her nose to his. “Will you help me put it on?”

“I’d love to.”

Richie unhooked the clasp and put the necklace around Kate’s neck. She looked down as it touched her chest, smiling. Then she hugged Richie tightly. She remained sitting on his lap, with his arms around her, as the last few gifts were passed out. 

Since Seth was the one passing out the gifts, he made sure his gift to Al was the last one to be handed out. He had an almost evil grin on his face as he handed it to her.

“This one’s from me,” he smirked.

“I’m not sure what that look you’re giving me means,” she said, taking the gift. “But I’m sure it can’t be good.”

“Just open it,” he grinned.

Al started taking the white and blue tissue paper from her snowflake gift bag. Then she reached in and pulled out her gift. She immediately started laughing when she saw what it was. 

“A penis bong!” She forced through bouts of laughter. “How thoughtful!”

“I thought I’d combine two things I know you like into the perfect gift, weed and dicks.”

“It’s fantastic,” she cried. “Although you know you’re gonna have to take a hit from this before I go, right.”

“I figured you’d say something like that, so I prepared myself,” he giggled. 

The whole group was laughing now as she passed it around. Even though Richie also found it hilarious, it kind of ruined the setting for what he planned next. So, without anyone noticing, he placed the little, black box he had in his hand back in his pocket.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After watching both Elf and Miracle on 34th Street, Scott and Toni headed off to bed. Only a few minutes after that, Kate gave Richie a quick peck on the cheek and told him not to stay up too long. The other three stayed and chatted for a bit while drinking the rest of the eggnog.

Thirty minutes later, Richie’s phone buzzed. He took the phone from his pocket and saw that he had a text from Kate. He opened it, and his eyes shot open. She sent him a sexy selfie of herself laying in their bed in only her bra and panties. Then it buzzed again with a follow up text that said, ‘you about ready to join me?’. 

Richie shot up from the couch, “I think I’m going to bed now. Goodnight.”

“What, is there a fire?” Laughed Seth as Richie sprinted to the door.

“Yeah, in his bedroom,” laughed Al, knowing exactly what picture Kate sent him. She sent it to Al first along with three others asking her which one was best. “Seems like Katie-Cakes has a fire in her pants, and she needs his hose to put it out.”

“You’re so disgusting,” snickered Seth.

“Yeah, but you like it,” she smirked.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Richie opened the door to their room and shut it behind him quietly. The lights were dimmed, but Kate was not on their bed like the picture suggested. He did notice the bathroom door was closed though.

“Kate?” He asked.

That’s when Kate opened the door and strode out in her short, silk robe. Richie could see the heels and hose she was wearing too, and it made him gulp as he looked her over.

Kate sashayed her way to him and pouted, “Hey, baby. I have one more gift for you.”

“Oh yeah,” he smirked. “What’s that?”

“Me,” said Kate, biting her lip.

When she got to him she roughly pulled him down to her by his hair, forcefully kissing him. Then she ripped her lips from his and pushed him back. He had a wicked, little smirk on his face, liking her little game. She put her hands on his chest and walked him back to the black, leather couch against the wall. Then she pushed him down on it.

“Stay,” ordered Kate.

Richie obeyed her command because he loved when she told him what to do like this. To him, it was hot when she took control. 

Kate used a little remote to put some music on, then turned back to look at Richie. He was sitting there with a devilish grin, patiently waiting for her to return. She walked back over to him, standing a few feet in front of him. 

She slowly untied the robe, and let it fall open. Then she let it slip from her shoulders down the floor around her feet. Richie’s eyes were nearly popping out of his head as he looked her over. He made that sexy growl in the back of his throat as he took it in, clearly already enjoying the show. 

Kate was still a little nervous no matter how many times she practiced this on Al. Even though they both even spent an afternoon with Kisa, learning her professional moves, she still had her doubts. But that little noise he made always turned her on. She was feeling sexy, confident, and ready to put on a good show for him. 

She started rolling her hips to the beat, and swayed over to him. She stood between his legs and put her arms on the couch behind his head. She leaned in close, and while her breasts were at eye level, she rolled them closer to his face until he was completely between them. Kate rolled her shoulders back and forth, rubbing his face between her breasts. 

Then she pulled away, still rolling her shoulders. She dragged her hands down his chest, down his thighs to his knees. Kate gripped them gently as she dipped between his legs, swiveling on her feet, bringing her face level to his already growing cock. She ran her hands back up his thighs then back to his knees, then rolled her chest out as she slowly straightened back out.

Kate stood and walked a few steps away, swaying as she turned around. She looked back at Richie over her shoulder, giving him a sexy pout and lightly slapping her ass. Then she slowly swiveled back down and placed her hands on the ground. She slowly raised her ass back up, swiveling her hips. Before she brought the rest of herself up, she looked at him through her legs. That’s when she saw the sex crazed, little smirk on his face.

Kate walked back to him, rubbing her hands down her body, biting her lip and moaning as she did. She placed herself back between his legs, turned around and dropped back down. While running her hands along the inside of his knees, she slowly moved her ass back up, stopping to rub it against his crotch in gentle circles. When she got it all the way back up, she ran her hands up her own legs starting from her ankles, all the while shaking her ass for Richie to see.

She rotated her hips and she slowly spun to face him. She straddled one of his legs, and rubbed herself on him in slow circles. She switch legs, doing the same as her hands gripped his shoulders. 

Kate pulled back, swiveling her hips, throwing her chest out, and running her hands down her body again. Then she placed her hands on either side of his head and leaned in close again. This time she straddled his lap, and started grinding on him with her chest in his face and whipping her hair around. 

After grinding and rubbing herself against him a bit, she slid down his body, running her hands along him as she did. Kate swiveled her hips as she got to her her feet, slowly running her hands back up his thighs and she raised herself up again. 

She turned around and sat in his lap, rubbing herself against his throbbing cock. She closed her legs completely, grabbed his hands and ran them down her body. When she got his large hands to her thighs, Kate sprung her legs open, matching his legs, and continued running his hands down the inside of her thighs.

She removed Richie hands, throwing them aside, She leaned back, putting her head on his shoulder, and wrapping her arm around his neck. She messed with his hair, and pulled his head forward so he could watch as she continued rubbing her ass against him and ran her other hand over her entire body.

That’s when Kate got back up, spun around and ran her hands down his chest again. She sat back in his lap, straddling him and grinding like she did before.

Richie was making these sexy little noises as Kate grabbed him by the hair and rubbed his face between her breasts again. She moaned at the contact as she continued shaking her ass in his lap.

She peeled herself off Richie, and grabbed him by the tie. Kate dragged him over to the bed, and pushed him on it. He was sitting on with his back against the headboard as she jumped up and started grinding against him again as she straddled him. God was he hard, she thought. He was practically bursting through his slacks.

Kate loosened his tie and threw it to the side. For once he wasn’t wearing a suit jacket, because Kate told him not to if they were just chilling in the house. It was one less thing she had to take off him. 

She scooted down his body, and beckoned him to slide down too. Now Richie’s head was on the pillow. She crawled back up his body, pulled his hair roughly, and kissed him just as fiercely. 

Richie was so involved in the sexy, forceful kiss, he didn’t notice when Kate grabbed his hands from her body. She raised them over his head, and held them there with one hand. She reached under his pillow with the other, grabbing something she placed there earlier. 

It wasn’t until he heard the familiar click that he even realized he was now being handcuffed to the bed. 

Kate pulled away, still straddling him, hands on his chest. She looked down at him, and gave him a sinister, yet oh so sexy smile. He was hers now, to do what she pleased.

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Seth and Al were the only ones remaining in the living area. Everyone else had already gone to bed, or at least to their rooms. That left them alone, getting in the last drink of the night. 

“Just like old times,” smirked Al. “You and me alone, drinking. Do you think that means we have a problem?”

“Probably,” chuckled Seth. “But I think it’s worse if you do it alone, so at least we have each other.”

They both laughed, and continued on with their drinks. 

“How serious are you about that Sean guy?” He asked.

“I don’t know,” she said. “I really like him, but we’ve only been on one date. I don’t think it can be classified as a serious relationship yet. Why?”

“Well,” said Seth, avoiding her eyes. “I was just thinking. I’m here, you’re here. We’re kinda just two adults, sitting alone on Christmas night with nothing to do.”

“Are you asking me if I wanna have sex with you?”

“I wasn’t asking,” he smirked. “I was suggesting.”

“Man,” laughed Al. “You’re worse at this one night, no strings thing than I am.”

“Okay,” he laughed back. “Maybe the one night thing was a stretch, but there still are no strings. I still don’t expect a relationship or anything, so maybe now we should just call it friends with benefits. Does that clear things up a bit?”

“I guess,” she chuckled. 

“I’m just saying, I have needs, and you have needs. I know I can help you with yours, and God knows you can help me with mine. So would you like to exercise the rights of said benefits in this friendship, or what?”

“Well,” pondered Alessandra. “It has been awhile.”

“So yeah?”

“You make a lot of good points, Gecko. So, yeah. Why not?”

Seth polished off the last of his Scotch, “How do you want it?”

“Is it weird that as soon as you said ‘how do you want it’ the next thought I had was, how do you feel?”

“Never would have taken you for a Tupac fan,” laughed Seth. 

“I’m full of surprises,” she smirked.

“I’ll bet you are.”

“Oh, not to ruin the mood or anything, but do you wanna know a fun fact about Tupac?”

“Ummm, sure?”

“Do you have any idea what his middle name was?”

“Why would I know that?”

“You should look it up. It’ll surprise you.”

“Why don’t you just tell me? Then we can get down to business,” he smirked, moving closer.

“Amaru,” she said.

“What?”

“His middle name was Amaru. I believe he was named after a Peruvian dictator, whose name happened to be Tupac Amaru. Weird, isn’t it?”

“It is. Not sure how I feel about that,” said Seth. Then he gave Al a seductive grin and said, “Now tell me how you want it.”

Al gave him an equally seductive smirk back.

Seth moved in, kissing Al and aggressively parting her lips with his. His tongue forced its way to hers, rolling over it with expertise. Her hands made it to the back of his head, fingers running through and tugging at his short hair. His made it to her ass, squeezing it forcefully. 

They were two people full of need and desire, of sexual tension and emotion. They craved each other, remembering just how good it was between them. No, they weren’t in love, but this wasn’t about love. They respected each other, and cared for each other, but this was about animal needs. A need to want and to be wanted. A need to please and to be pleased. It was sex for the sake of sex, and it worked for both of them.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With Richie now handcuffed to the bed, Kate could do whatever she wanted to him. They had only done this once, and she was the one handcuffed, so she wasn’t really sure what to do. 

She walked over to the little chest they had in the corner now, filled with all their toys and games. She was definitely going to get him back for some of the things he did to her last time. 

Kate thought about blindfolding him, but since she spent all this time getting ready for him, she figured the show shouldn’t be quite over yet. He obviously liked her outfit, his mouth fell open when he saw her in the first place. So she grabbed the teaser and the little whip. Then she grabbed the ball gag. She had an overwhelming feeling he would like that little toy.

She sauntered back to Richie, who was watching her every move through sex glazed eyes. His breathing was heavy, and his cock was throbbing in his slacks. 

Kate straddled him, rubbing and grinding on him. She slowly unbuttoned his shirt, leaving it open. She couldn’t take it off with his hands tied to the bed, what the fuck was she gonna do with his stupid undershirt? She didn’t really think that through. She decided to rip it, it wasn’t like he didn’t have tons of them, or couldn’t get more. His eyes opened wide and he grunted at her pulling it from his body. She should have known he would like it if she literally ripped the clothes off him.

She ran her fingers lightly down his now exposed chest and stomach, letting her nails make most of the contact. He squirmed under her. 

“Ohhh, fuck, Kate,” he panted.

“Shhhh,” she whispered. “No talking.”

That’s when she put the ball gag on him, and she could tell by the throaty laugh he made around the gag, that it was in fact really turning him on. Both knew full well that with his Culebra strength he could easily break out of these handcuffs, but he wouldn’t because he was already enjoying this little game. 

Kate got off his lap and released him from his slacks. She stroked him up and down, and rubbed his head with her thumb. She watched his eyes flutter as she toyed with him. Then she grabbed the feather teaser, and started running it down his body. She caressed it down his chest and stomach over and over, before letting it just graze over his throbbing cock.

Richie moaned and bucked his hips at the light feeling. She took that away and replaced it with the little whip. She dragged the little, leather strips over his stomach then lightly slapped them across him. He flinched and groaned around the gag each time she slapped him.

That’s when Kate straddled him again, keeping his erection just behind her so she could grind at it as she liked. She could feel it firm against her ass, and she liked it. 

Richie looked up at Kate in awe as she played her little games and had her way with him. She dragged her fingers down his chest again before kissing and licking her way down from his jaw to his bellybutton. Then she made her way back up, only to stop at his nipples. She knew he liked when she played with them, and sometimes she did, but now he was hers for the taking, and she was going to have fun. 

She gave one a quick lick then blew at it. Then she did the same to the other. Richie was squirming and moaning under her, enjoying the sensations. She sucked the first one into her mouth, running her tongue over it. He started quivering, breathing hard, and making all sorts of little noises around the gag, as she switched back and forth between them. Kate even let her teeth graze them.

She kissed, licked, and sucked at them for several minutes before dragging her tongue down his chest to circle his bellybutton. She kissed and sucked her way back up, all the way back to his neck and finally his jaw. 

Kate could tell by the look in his eyes that he was dying to touch her. Dying for her to really touch him. 

“You ready, baby?” Kate asked in her most playfully seductive voice. “You ready for me to get to this?”

She grabbed his cock, and he bucked forcefully. He moaned and nodded his head up and down. 

Kate stroked him lightly with the tips of her fingers, over and over until he was groaning, and begging her for more with his eyes. 

So she turned around, still straddling him, but more like the sixty-nine position he liked a few weeks ago. She licked him tip to base then back up. He was whimpering around the gag as she toyed with him, a noise she never heard him make before. It was unbelievably hot to her, she never thought about it before, but now that she was doing this, his inability to do anything was a huge turn on.

Kate looked back at him through her own legs. His head was tilted forward and he was watching her tease him. She gave him a dirty little smile, then went back to teasing his cock.

She licked and kissed it all over, flicking her tongue over that spot and circling his head. Richie was squirming all over, and couldn’t help the small movements his hips made towards her mouth. He was making all sorts of noises under her, but Kate kept right on teasing him.

Kate squeezed Richie’s balls and sucked on them. She kissed them, and even lightly nipped at them, causing more noises she never heard from him before. All of them being pleasurable noises, he liked every torturous second of this.

She knew it was getting too much though, even for her. She wanted him, and couldn’t wait any longer. So Kate took him in her mouth, going down as far as she could before coming back up and swirling her tongue around his tip. He let out a long groan as she went back down him.

Kate bobbed up and down his length, using one of her hands to massage his balls in the process. Richie was thrusting his hips at her with need. It was nothing but a reaction on his part, he couldn’t always help himself when she did this. She was so unbelievably good at it, it felt so fucking good. Especially when she moaned around him, like she was doing now. It just showed him that he wasn’t the only one enjoying this. She liked his cock in her mouth as much as he did, and that was incredibly hot to him. 

Kate could taste it as pre-cum started leaking from his tip. She plopped him from her mouth so he could watch her lap it up. She continued licking him like a lollipop over and over, circling his tip teasingly, and hitting that spot frequently. 

She was even more sopping wet than she was when she was dancing for him. There was heat swelling in her and an ache between her legs. She needed him, now.

She turned around and crawled up his body. She removed the gag, and kissed him hard. They both moaned as their tongues met.

Kate broke the kiss abruptly, “I need you baby. Oh God, I need you. Eat my pussy, Richie.”

“Mmmm, fuck yeah, Katie,” he growled. “Let me taste that pussy.”

Kate quickly removed the thong, but left the rest of the outfit intact. She crawled back over Richie, placing her hot, wet, pussy over his waiting mouth. He lapped at her furiously, grunting and moaning at the feel of her bucking at his face. 

Kate was moaning too, he felt so fucking good when he did that. Only a minute later she came with loud moan and a shudder. 

When she backed off him, she could see his face glistening from nose to chin. He was licking his lips and staring her in the eye. She knew he was still hard, and in need, so she scooted down and plunged herself down onto his thick, throbbing, length.

Richie let out a long sigh as she slid down him, and grunted as she started rocking back and forth. 

Kate came again within seconds at the sensation of him filling her. She had to take a few seconds to catch her breath, leaving him inside her. Then she started bouncing up and down on him. He met every one of her bounces with a thrust of his own, and together they moved to another mind blowing, simultaneous orgasm. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seth had Al up on the bartop in the living room. Both shed their clothes with a speed like no other. The feeling of need overtook them so quickly as their lips met, that they didn’t even make it to the bedroom. They were doing this here.

He was kissing and sucking down her neck as she reached between them to stroke his solid cock. He made his way to her tits, sucking and licking each nipple in turn. It wasn’t long before she was begging him to fuck her, she was wet with need, and had no patience for waiting. That was something Seth liked about her. When she wanted to, she could play and tease with the best of them, but when she wanted it this badly, she couldn’t wait, and she was always ready.

Seth on the other hand liked pushing her buttons when she was like this, just a little. Her eagerness was a total turn on for him, and the squirming and whimpering when she didn’t get what she wanted sent shock waves to his groin. 

So he took two fingers and slid them home. Al moaned and he continued pumping them in and out leisurely. He rubbed her clit with his thumb for added measure. Seth knew she liked it, but it wasn’t enough. She needed his cock, but he was waiting for her to say it. She might be a vampire with superhuman strength, but right now, he had the upper hand.

“Fuck, Seth,” panted Al through gritted teeth. “What the fuck are you waiting for? I told you that I want it.”

“I know you want it,” he said. “But that’s not what I’m looking for. Say it.”

“No!”

“Say it,” he said, licking up her neck. “Say it, and I’ll give it to you.”

“Goddammit, Seth! I fucking need you! Now fuck me, please?!”

Seth smirked, “Was that so hard?”

He withdrew his fingers and used the slickness covering them to coat his cock. Al put both her hands on his shoulders and Seth slid himself in. Both moaned at the feeling. It didn’t appear either was going to last as long as they wanted.

Seth pumped in and out in a frenzy, his hands gripping her ass as her legs wrapped around him. Al was digging her nails into his shoulders as she moaned and panted his name.

Seth started kissing down her neck and shoulders again, slowing the pace, trying to make it last a little longer. Al got the meaning, and released her deathgrip on his shoulders, instead choosing to run her fingers through his hair again. Their lips met and tongues brushed across one another. They sucked and nipped at each others lips, trying to slow things down so they could really enjoy this. 

Al ran her fingers down the side of Seth’s face, tickled them down his neck, and dragged her nails across his chest and stomach. She touched as much of him as she could.

Seth got a sudden urge to take this to the couch, so he grabbed under Al’s ass, and picked her up, never leaving the tight, warm space between her legs. Al gasped at first, realizing she was being carried away, then she started giggling as he sat on the couch. Now she was on top. It was her turn to do most of the work.

Al bounced up and down in his lap, and Seth enjoyed when she pulled back so he could watch her large breasts bounce along with her. He reached for them, massaging and squeezing them in his hands. They barely fit around them, but these were definitely real. He’d felt his fill of both real and fake tits in his life, and by far he preferred the real ones. Yeah, the fake ones always looked perfect, but they didn’t feel like this. Nor did they jiggle with the same zest. He could suck on these babies all night, but for now he would settle on the way they felt squeezed between his hands.

Al moaned and bit her lip, “Mmmm, Seth. Oh God! I love when you do that.”

“When I do what?” He smirked. “Squeeze these titties?”

“Yeah,” she breathed.

“What about if I squeezed these nipples of yours? Would you like that too?”

He demonstrated by squeezing and pulling on both nipples, and she squealed her pleasure.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” chuckled Seth.

He continued working on her tits and nipples, as Al continued bouncing up and down his cock. With each passing minute, she was increasing her speed. Her hands were back on his shoulders for leverage.

“Ooohhhh,” moaned Al. “Fuck me, Seth.”

At her command, Seth started meeting her with thrusts of his own, pumping into her with equal force. The sound of skin hitting skin filled the room, along with their combined moaning and panting.

Now Seth’s hands were cupping Al’s ass, helping lift her and pulling her back down to him. She pressed herself against him, arms around his neck, chest to his face. He was electrified as his face was smushed between her big, beautiful tits.

Al started whimpering again, and panting, “Oooohhh, ooohhhh, ooohhhh. Mmmmm, Seth, mmmmm, yes. Ooooohhhh.”

Seth was busy sucking on the sides of her tits and grunting between them. 

“Oooohhhh Gooood, Seeeeeth,” moaned Al as she came quivering on top of him.

“Uuggggghhh fuuuck,” he moaned alongside her as he emptied himself deep within her.

They sat there like that, in a sweaty heap on the couch, laughing and trying to catch their breath.

“Damn that was good,” chuckled Seth into Al’s ear.

“Just like old times,” giggled Al.


	5. New Year, New Resolution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang celebrates the New Year, and boy was the celebration a dusey. 
> 
> Tidbit: When Richie walked back over with the punch a few seconds later, Kate wrapped her arms around him, rubbing herself against him. She wanted to get a better feel, so he ran her hand down his inner thigh, where she knew it would be waiting. Sure enough, it was there. He grunted slightly when she lightly ran her hand over it. It made her giggle to herself.

Kate and Alessandra were in Kate’s room getting ready for the New Year’s Eve party at the Jacknife. It was a huge event at the bar, the only time they had a cover to get in. Neither woman was going crazy for the party, but they wanted to look nice. Since at least one of the brothers were with them most of the time, and they were finally alone, it was a good time to chat.

“Hopefully this New Year’s party goes better than the last two,” chuckled Kate nervously.

“What do you mean?” Asked Al.

“Well Richie and I don’t exactly have a great track record when it comes to this particular party.”

“Oh?”

“I never told you?”

“Told me what exactly?”

“The story of how I nearly ruined our relationship before it even started.”

“Ummm,” laughed Al. “No. But now you have to.”

“Okay,” sighed Kate. “I’ll start from the beginning. Two years ago I convinced the brothers to do this thing. It was kind of a hard sale, until I pinpointed exactly what they each would enjoy about it. Alcohol and drunk women for Seth, and a cover charge and overpriced drinks for Richie.”

Al laughed, “Good idea. Playing to their weaknesses, I’m impressed.”

“I’m smarter than I look,” laughed Kate. “But you see, I was still sorta recovering from the Amaru situation at the time, and I wasn’t exactly myself. I dragged Richie to the dance floor, and made him dance with me most of the night, just looking to have fun and blow off steam. He took that as a sign I was interested, and kissed me during a slow song. But like I said, I wasn’t really myself yet, and I wasn’t ready. So I didn’t kiss him back.”

“And that’s how you think you almost ruined your relationship with him?” Asked Al in a mocking tone. “I’m not sure that would be enough to stop Richie, he really loves you. I think you’re overthinking it.”

“That’s not the worst part,” sighed Kate. “I freaked out and literally ran away from him. I just left him there on the dance floor. He kept calling my name and trying to apologize, but I ran straight to my room and locked the door. He left that night, and didn’t come back for days, so he was obviously mad about it.”

“Ouch,” said Al with a grimace. “But knowing Richie, I’m sure he was more mad at himself than you. Did you ever talk to him about it?”

“No. And then by last year, I was actually ready to admit that I wanted more from him. But things were awkward.”

“I could see that. Both of you can be really awkward.”

“Thanks,” said Kate, giving her a look. “ But anyway. I only made it worse last year. I wanted to make up for the year before, but I chickened out because I thought he was mad at me about it. So instead I stayed away from him all night, not even really talking to him. But I couldn’t stop thinking about him, so to distract myself I picked a random guy in the bar, and danced all over him all night. Richie saw me, and I know now that it really hurt him. He loved me still, and I was pretty much talking to anyone but him. He thought I was still mad about what happened the year before, and that it proved that I could never want him. So I pushed him even farther away because I was a total idiot.”

“Ehhhh,” said Al. “Not a total idiot, but that was definitely not cool. On the other hand, he didn’t do anything about it either, so it’s not just you that fucked that one up. If he had tried harder, maybe asked you to dance again, would you have?”

“Of course I would have,” said Kate. “It’s what I wanted. I wanted to be dancing with him at midnight so he could be the one that I kissed. I had this whole plan, and I was gonna turn that little midnight peck into a real kiss. So I could show him that I wasn’t mad at him, and that I wanted to be with him. Only when midnight came, he wasn’t even in bar any more, he had had enough of watching me avoid him all night.”

“Well then you’re not the only fuck up. He didn’t have the balls to confront you either, and left before he had his chance.”

“Wait,” said Kate, shaking her head. “It only gets worse. You remember Lindsey? That Culebra that was working here spying on us?”

“Yeah.”

“You remember when she told everyone that she slept with Richie?”

“Unfortunately.”

“Well guess when he started doing that? Last New Year’s.”

“Oh,” sighed Al. 

“Yeah,” said Kate with a grimace. “That’s where he was at midnight. He was so depressed over the whole situation, that he slept with her, trying to feel something. He told me that I made him feel worthless. That the only woman that he ever loved could obviously never want to be with him, so he accepted her offer because at least someone wanted him. I literally drove him to another woman, Al. And then when I found out about it, we got in a huge fight. I almost broke up with him for sleeping with a woman months before we got together. What if I had gone through with it? What if he decided I wasn’t really worth all the trouble after that? Then none of this would have even happened. I’m so happy with him, Al. I love him so much, and I almost threw it all away because of a drunk, lonely decision he made on New Year’s.”

“Well good thing you didn’t,” laughed Al, nervously. “And we all make mistakes, Kate. I’m sure he thinks of Lindsey as one too.”

“He does. He told me he wished he could take it all back. He also told me he never did anything for her though. It was just her doing him, and sex. That made me feel a little better.”

“Well, at least there’s that,” smiled Al. ”Proves he never really even liked her. She was just something to pass the time. And he stopped long before you got together, right?"

“Yeah. He said it was only a few times over like two months.”

“Well there you go. And on the plus side, I don’t think this year will go anything like that. I think you’ll be okay,” Al paused and smirked. “Just don’t be an idiot. And if I see you starting to act like one, I’ll intervene and make sure it’s not three for three. How’s that sound?”

“Thanks,” smiled Kate. “It’s good to have a backup plan. Seeing as how I always seem to fuck it up by myself.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

It was around eleven, and so far the party was going just perfectly. With Scott playing a New Year’s show in New York, and Kisa throwing her own event at Xibalban Blaze, it was just the four of them at this party. Jacknife Jeds was packed with patrons though, and the food and drink specials were flying off the shelves. Richie had a dangerously large smile on his face when he realized how much money they were raking in. 

“He looks happy,” grinned Al to Kate as Richie went to get them more punch.

“He has this odd obsession with money,” said Kate. “I never understood what was so appealing to him about getting people to part with their hard earned cash.”

“He’s a professional thief, Kate,” laughed Al. “Alleviating people of their money is just part of his trade.”

“Huh,” laughed Kate. “I guess I never thought of it that way.”

“Yeah, and the exorbitant prices people are charged for big events like New Year’s, is basically highway robbery. So that’s the real appeal,” Al laughed, then continued. “He’s so excited right now, I’m sure he has at least half a stiffy at the thought of tricking them into giving him their money. And he doesn’t even need a gun! It’s like a job going really, really well for him.”

“Oh my God,” laughed Kate. “Only you would think of that!”

“Think of what?” Asked Seth as he walked over. “If it’s Al, it’s got to be perverted.”

“I was just telling Kate,” started Al, “That for Richie this event is like a light robbery. And that since it’s going so well, he probably has a half “bank robbery like” excitement boner right now.”

“Oh yeah,” he smirked. “I guarantee he does.”

“Only one way to find out,” smirked Kate to both of their surprised faces.

When Richie walked back over with the punch a few seconds later, Kate wrapped her arms around him, rubbing herself against him. She wanted to get a better feel, so he ran her hand down his inner thigh, where she knew it would be waiting. Sure enough, it was there. He grunted slightly when she lightly ran her hand over it. It made her giggle to herself. 

Kate turned back around, and nodded, laughing all the way, “It’s more like three-fourths of an excitement boner.”

Both Al and Seth started chuckling as Richie asked what exactly was going on. Kate just turned back to him, and kissed him, telling him that he was just a silly boy, and that she loved that about him. 

“So I’m the butt of some joke, huh?” He asked.

“No,” laughed Seth, pointing at Richie’s groin. “You’re the dick of this joke.”

Richie looked where Seth was pointing and rolled his eyes, getting his meaning.

As midnight approached, Kate and Richie danced with each other on the dance floor. When the DJ put on a particularly good song, Al dragged Seth out there too. All four were dancing next to each other, laughing and having a good time. 

At one point Kate and Al decided to trade partners. Mostly they were dancing with each other, with the boys just hanging around closely behind them. Seth was getting more into it than Richie, but that wasn’t a surprise to anyone.

But when the countdown started a few songs later, Kate left Seth and Al, and made her way over to Richie. When the clock finally struck midnight, changing it from December 31st to January 1st, Kate finally got to kiss Richie at the New Year. 

She wrapped her arms around Richie’s neck, and pulled him down to her. Their lips met like they have hundreds if not thousands of times since his birthday, seven months ago. It was an ordinary kiss, but to Kate it was somehow more magical. Perhaps because of how long it took for it to all work out, she thought. She finally got her wish, and she was going to make it last.

Since they were next to each other at midnight, Al gave Seth a peck on his stubbly cheek. He turned to look at her when she did, raising his eyebrow at the chasteness of the kiss. He shook his head, wrapped his arm around her waist, and pulled her in for a big smooch.

She pushed him away, laughing, pretending not to enjoy it. That’s when he wrapped his other arm around her, and pulled her even closer. He gave her another quick peck on the lips. This time she smiled, rolling her eyes and shaking her head, then kissed him back for real.

All in all, it turned out to be a great party. The guests finally started dwindling down as it approached closing time. When all was clear, Seth, Al, Kate and Richie made it downstairs to bed. All were a little tipsy, and looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New year’s day was kind of like an after party all day, starting with mimosas with breakfast to try to ebb the hangovers. Kate and Seth had it worse than the other two, and were really feeling it this morning. They were laying on the couch in the living room while Al and Richie made breakfast. 

Al cooked the bacon, sausage, and hash-browns, while Richie made them each omelettes filled with cheese, ham, onions, and green peppers. They figured greasy was the way to go today.

After breakfast, the group pretty much just lounged around all day. It was Al’s last day in town, she would be leaving tomorrow afternoon. They watched movie after movie while sitting around in their pj’s. Seth put a pair of gray sweatpants on over his boxers for everyone’s benefit. Nobody wants to hang around with a grown ass man in his underwear all day.

Even Richie didn’t get dressed for the day, choosing by himself to grab a clean, white, t-shirt to add to his usual pj bottoms. To Kate it was a miracle. She couldn’t count how many times she had to tell him not to wear a tie and jacket when they were just hanging at home. Still she figured he would at least put dress pants and a button down shirt on today like usual, so she was amazed when he didn’t. She loved the way he looked in suits, that’s for sure, but he also looked good like this, and she almost never got to see him like this. He didn’t even do his hair. It was just flopping there, all cute like, with no product slicking it back. So Kate made a point to play with it often throughout the day.

After dinner, they were sitting on the couch watching Al’s movie choice, My cousin Vinny. Each brother took an arm at either end of the couch, with Kate and Al sitting in the middle. Kate was completely tucked up against Richie, her head on his shoulder, and one arm tucked around his waist. Her other hand was gently toying with his hair, which she knew he liked. She notice the content smile he had when she looked up at him; it made her smile too.

When the movie was over, Al made a suggestion for before the next movie. She asked Richie if he had any good weed, since obviously she couldn’t bring any on the plane over. He smiled, nodded, and got his stash from his nightstand drawer. 

When he got back, he also brought back rolling papers, but Al said she something else in mind. She went and grabbed the penis bong Seth got her for Christmas. 

“I think it’s time we take this baby on its maiden voyage,” she smirked. “That means all of us too. We all need to take a rip from the penis bong.”

Seth was smiling and shaking his head, “I almost thought I got away without having to. I should have known better.”

“You know I would never forget about you, Seth,” she said, grinning broadly.

Al got the bong ready and was the first to use it. Then she passed it to Seth, who took it like a champ. He passed it to Richie, who was not too thrilled with its shape, but did it anyway. Then it was Kate’s turn.

“I’ve never used a bong before,” said Kate as Richie handed it to her.

“That’s okay,” giggled Al. “You grab the shaft and put your lips on the tip, and we’ll do the rest. I know you know how to do that.”

“You’re such a perv,” giggled Kate.

“Better yet,” said Al in between fits of laughter. “It would be even funnier if you took a rip from it while Richie had it in his lap. It would be almost exactly what you’re used to.”

Seth and Richie laughed at that, but Kate just rolled her eyes. Richie took the bong back though, and playfully put it in his lap.

“I can’t believe you’re agreeing with her,” laughed Kate.

“She has a point,” he chuckled.

With Richie’s assistance, Kate did indeed take a rip from his lap. It had them all laughing, even Kate. They all hit it again, Kate again from Richie’s lap on her turn, and Seth wouldn’t hand it over until Al took a hit from his lap too. Not shockingly, she had no qualms with that.

Before they started the next movie, Kate and Al stepped into the kitchen to get snacks and refreshments. They chit chatted while making popcorn and pouring chips into a big bowl. 

“This is the fourth movie of the night,” said Kate, chuckling. “I don’t know how many more I can watch.”

“Getting bored?” Asked Al.

“Not bored, just antsy. I’ve just been sitting around all day, doing nothing. I’m used to being a little more productive, and having a little more activity during the day.”

“Well, maybe after this one you could convince Richie and Seth to have another threesome,” giggled Al. “Would that be enough activity for you?”

“That’s not the worst idea,” laughed Kate. “It was so fun, Al. Incredibly sexy to be with both of them. I never thought I would like that as much as I did.”

“When I suggested it, you said it was disgusting,” said Al, raising an eyebrow. “Now here you are, beating me to my own damn dream.”

“Well you were right about it. What can I say?”

“Bitch,” laughed Al.

“Oh come on,” Kate laughed back. “Don’t pretend you’re not happy for me. I know you are. Plus, maybe when you get back, you’ll find out Sean is into the same thing.”

“One can only hope.”

“I just had the craziest idea!” Yelped Kate.

“And what would that be?”

“Why not take it a step above that?”

“Meaning?” Asked Al, cautiously.

“A foursome.”

“Excuse me?”

“You, me, Richie, and Seth.”

“What?!” Asked Al, shocked as all Hell.

“Yeah,” said Kate, all wide eyed. “Do you think they would go for it? I mean they both liked the threesome. I mean not like you and I would do anything together, or they would do anything together. Kinda more of a swap thing.”

“A swap thing?” Asked Al, eyebrows as far from her eyes as Kate had ever seen them. “Like swingers? You mean you want me to have sex with your boyfriend? And you have sex with his brother?”

“Yeah. I mean I was thinking we could like switch off or something.”

“I can’t believe you’re even suggesting this. Who the fuck are you, and what have you done with our sweet, innocent Kate Fuller?”

“You are the last person I expected to have an issue with this,” giggled Kate. “And I’m your regular, old Kate Fuller. I just think hanging around with you and Seth has really started to rub off on me.”

“You could say that again,” chuckled Alessandra. “And I don’t necessarily have an issue with it. I’m just shocked. Like really shocked.”

“Well I’m serious. It could be really fun. And I think it’s only fair. I told Richie we could have a girl, girl, guy threesome too, since he was willing to do the two guys and me one. This in a way fulfills that. It’s just a little extra.”

“The student has surpassed the master, Kate,” said Al, smirking and shaking her head.

“So does that mean you’re in?”

“If you can get them to agree, then I’m in. I wasted so many years with Vincenzo, never trying anything I wanted to because he wouldn’t allow it. I won’t waste an opportunity to get out of my box.”

“Well then,” smiled Kate. “Let me see if I can work my magic.”

“This night has definitely taken a turn in a weird direction,” said Al. “But I like it.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Al and Kate sat back down between the boys on the couch, putting the popcorn, chips, and drinks on the coffee table. They had already made their slightly intoxicated decision, now it was time to get the boys to come to the same conclusion. That was gonna be the tricky part. Kate wasn’t sure how they would react, especially Richie. 

She knew he didn’t mind the threesome with Seth. He told her later that he actually liked it, thought it was really hot watching her. She was hoping he would feel the same with this idea. It wasn’t that much different, in fact if anything it was more fair. He also would be with two women.

And Seth, well he had already been with both her and Al, so she was pretty sure he wouldn’t have a problem. He was the more adventurous sexually of the two anyway, and he had been with a lot more women and tried a lot of different things. It’s not like he had issues sharing with Richie last time, and it wasn’t like he and Al were serious. In fact, they weren’t even a thing, just friends with benefits. When this was all over, she would be going back to Chicago, and possibly starting a relationship with Sean. So he had nothing to be jealous of, if that was even a real problem he had.

So Kate decided to take her chances. She was going to have to initiate this, it couldn’t be Alessandra. Honestly the worst thing that would happen is that they wouldn’t want to, and the rest of the night would just be awkward. It’s not like it would hurt her relationship with Richie, he said he was willing to try anything with her. And so far, he lived up to that promise. So Kate didn’t think one more suggestion would hurt anything.

Kate crept in close to Richie, leaning her head on his shoulder. He leaned down to kiss her forehead like he usually did when she did that. He’s just so damn sweet, she thought. Richard Gecko, big, bad, Culebra, and professional thief, and my cuddle buddy. It made her smile.

But that sweetness wasn’t the trait she was looking for now. It was his highly sexual nature she wanted. His aggressiveness, his take charge and please her in any way he could attitude. That animalistic side that made her beg and squirm, and scream his name. That was the Richard Gecko she craved at the moment. 

She slowly tilted her head and started nibbling on his earlobe. He pulled away slightly, and gave her a side glance, clearly not sure what she was thinking in a room full of people. So she gave him a small peck on his oh so kissable lips. She wanted more, that little peck wasn’t going to hold her over. He looked good tonight, with his floppy hair and relaxed clothes. She wanted him even if this thing didn’t pan out.

Kate went back to leaning on his shoulder, and started running her hand across his chest. She slowly moved her hand down his stomach, and rubbed his belly in soft circles. Nothing too different from normal yet, sometimes she did that when they watched TV. She loved touching him, and she just had to when they were close like this. 

Then she moved her hand under his t-shirt, and ran her fingers over his bare stomach. That got his attention. He was squirming in his seat as she lightly dragged her nails over his soft skin.

Richie gave her another look then. A look that was totally confused, but also slightly turned on. She beamed up at him, giving him a devilish smile. The look in his eyes totally changed when he saw it. He knew now that she meant business, and he liked when she teased him like this. Sex was always better when she made him wait, making the little games she played go on and on, getting him all riled up.

Kate moved her hand a little lower, tracing her fingers over his stiffening cock. He was already getting hard for her, and she barely did anything. That’s when she knew she chose the right approach. Almost seven months into this relationship, and she could read him like a book. She knew exactly how to work him to get what she wanted. 

“Kate,” whispered Richie. “What are you doing?”

She leaned up and whispered in his ear, “Wanna try something different tonight, baby? Something really dirty?”

She could see and feel the way he shuddered at her soft voice in his ear. That’s when she full out started stroking him through his pj pants. Richie let out a shaky breath as Kate gently moved her hand up and down his clothed length. He was getting harder by the second. 

“What are you talking about?” He asked, voice low, but full of need.

“I want you,” she murmured into his ear. “Right here, right now.”

“What?!” He said, louder than he meant to, but Kate could tell he was now fully erect.

That got Seth’s attention, now he knew something was up. Al had the biggest smile on her face, knowing Kate was really going for it. She put her hand on Seth’s thigh, trying to distract him while Kate did her thing. It worked, as he started squirming as her hand caressed up his inner thigh. He didn’t even attempt to move it, he obviously liked the attention.

“Right now, baby,” breathed Kate.

“But. . . Seth and Al . . .”

“I know,” she said, biting her lip. “You know what would be soooo dirty, Richie? So hot? If they joined too?”

“What?” He asked again, startled.

“It would be so fucking hot, Richie,” she purred into his ear. “What do you think, baby? Do you want me like I want you? Here? Now? With them? Would you do that for me, baby? Fuck me like that?”

Richie’s eyes were practically bulging from his head. Not only was he hard and turned on as all fuck, she said the magic word. Just how he liked it. That dirty, dirty word came from her mouth, and he couldn’t deny her anything when she said that. So he nodded his head when he couldn’t find the words to respond.

Kate started sucking his earlobe and kissing down his neck. She continued rubbing him through his pants too.

Seth saw what was going on now, but so did Al. Her hand crept up even higher, brushing his growing cock. It sent shivers down his spine, and he couldn’t contemplate what was happening as the blood started to flow more steadily from his brain.

“What the fuck is going on here?” Seth finally got out, clearing his throat.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Asked Al. “I’m trying to seduce you.”

“Why? And what they fuck is happening over there?”

“From the look on your brother’s face,” smirked Al. “He’s just agreed to us having a real party. I think we just became swingers. That is if you’re in and all. So? You in?”

How could he say no to such a proposition? Many times had he been with multiple girls, and once now with Kate and Richie, but never did he do this. He knew what Al was like in the sack, and damn did he miss it. He had been wanting her the entire time she was here, had convinced her on Christmas for a little fun, but nothing else. He never expected this. Until this very moment, he never even thought about it, but now he couldn’t stop.

“You sure about this?” He asked.

“You know I am,” said Al.

“Kate?” He asked.

“This may be the booze talking, or maybe the weed, but I think it’ll be fun.”

“It was actually her idea,” chimed in Al with a smirk.

“Richie?” He asked.

“Sounds like a plan, Stan.”

“Wow,” sighed Seth. “I guess we’re doing this then.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After realizing it was actually going to happen, Kate and Al quickly got into action. Neither was exactly sure how to best start something like this, so they both just shrugged at each other and started with their own man. Not that Seth was Alessandra’s man, just he was the one she had been with before. 

Kate straddled Richie, kissing him, and running her hands under his t-shirt. His hands wrapped around her, squeezing her ass. She moaned and squirmed when he did that. She loved when he touched her like that.

Al was still sitting next to Seth, they were making out pretty heavily. He was using one hand to squeeze and play with her tits. He loved big titties on a woman, and Al’s were definitely that. They were big, beautiful, soft, and bouncy, just the way he liked them. 

Al moaned at the feeling of Seth’s hand on her breasts. She loved when they were played with, especially the way he did it, like he really enjoyed them. But what she enjoyed was a stiff cock. Her hand was already down his sweatpants, stroking him skin on skin. 

Al was the first to make a move to change things up. She slid off the couch, and in between Seth’s legs. She helped him get his sweats and boxers off, then he removed his undershirt, thinking it looked silly when he had no pants on. 

Al grabbed him, stroking him up and down. She stuck her tongue out, and lightly licked his tip. Seth took a big, shaky breath in at that. She was massaging his balls and using just her finger tips to run his length, as she continued her gentle licking assault of his head. It was making him wiggle around, and make all sorts of little grunts and moans. She enjoyed teasing him as much as he liked to be teased.

Kate pulled Richie’s shirt over his head, and slid down between his legs following Al’s lead. She just reached in through the flap in his pj bottoms, and pulled him out. She flicked her tongue over that special spot, then licked him up and down. She kissed him everywhere, starting at his balls, working her way up to his tip, where she swirled her tongue around. His eyes were rolling back in his head at the sensation. 

After a few minutes pleasing their respective men, Kate and Al made eye contact. Kate smiled around Richie’s cock. He saw the smile as she slid up and down him, but was surprised it was directed at Al, and not him. He looked over and saw her giving Kate the same smile back around Seth’s cock. That’s when the brothers looked at each other for the first time. They knew that the two women were plotting something. 

Without even saying a word, both women released the cock in front of them at the same time. Al started removing her clothes, and Kate followed. The brothers leaned back and watched as both women undressed for them. 

Kate went back to straddling Richie when she got down to her bra and panties. She kissed him fiercely as he unhooked her bra. She bit her lip and pouted at him after he got it off. He gave her a dirty little smirk, then started kissing down her neck and chest. Kate grabbed his cock, that was sitting between them, and started stroking it as he started sucking on her tits.

Al slid her bra off then walked over to Seth and let him slide her panties off for her. He did it slowly. Then he pulled her onto his lap and motor-boated her, which made her giggle his name. He licked and sucked the sides of both breasts, while massaging them in his hands. They were so big, he had plenty of room to do both. 

Kate got off Richie’s lap and slowly removed her panties for him. He eyed her lustfully as she did. Then she helped him out of his pants, seeing as he was the only one with clothes on any more. She kissed him one last time, then tapped Al on the shoulder.

Al removed her lips from Seth’s, much to his frazzled disappointment. That’s when Kate tilted her head towards Richie in a playful manner.

“You sure you’re okay with this, Kate?” She asked. “If not, that’s okay. He’s your boyfriend after all, and I understand not wanting to share.”

“This was my idea, Al,” said Kate with a grin. “I know no matter what, he’s not going anywhere. Just like he knows I’m not either. So, yeah. You can fuck my boyfriend.”

“God damn, Kate,” groaned Richie. “I love when you talk like that.”

“I know,” she said, turning to him and giving a sexy, little grin.

Al climbed off of Seth’s lap. He slapped her ass playfully as she did. Then she got on her knees between Richie’s legs. He looked down at her and gulped.

Kate made her way over to Seth at the same time, but paused to watch what was going to happen on the other side of the couch. She was curious to see how Richie would react, she honestly had no clue what he thought of Al in a sexual manner. They never discussed it, but she had a strong feeling that if he was totally opposed to her, he wouldn’t have said yes in the first place. 

She watched as Alessandra’s hand closed around Richie’s cock, and stroked him base to tip. She saw Al’s thumb slide across Richie’s tip the way she liked, and listened to him grunt as Al gently sucked on his balls. He was obviously enjoying it, and it made Kate smile.

That’s when Seth grabbed her hand. He was giving her time, clearly aware that she needed to watch them begin. But now it was his turn, and he wanted Kate’s attention.

Kate quickly made her way between his legs, and started stroking his cock. She licked all around his tip, then all the way down and back up. Then she took him fully in her mouth, bobbing up and down his shaft.

She picked up her pace, her hand following the motion of her mouth. Seth moaned at how good it felt. He looked over at Al as she worked Richie, he knew his brother was also getting a good blowjob. Al had the skill of a woman who perfected the art. That’s when Seth noticed Richie was also watching Kate, and clearly enjoying both what was happening to him, and the view.

Alessandra was now bobbing up and down Richie’s cock at a regular pace, stopping each time she reached the top just enough to swirl her tongue around his tip before plunging back down. Seeing as how Al had a very limited collection of cocks in her life, Richie was the biggest she ever had to work with. He was ever so slightly longer than Seth, who up until now held that position on the top of her list. As far as she was concerned, both brothers had amazing cocks, and if Richie was anywhere near as skilled as Seth was sexually, they were a deadly combo.

Richie was groaning and grunting as Al worked him. He honestly never thought about Alessandra in a sexual way. He had Kate, and she was the only woman he needed or wanted. Not that he had any objections to Al. Seth had also told him about what he did with Al, and as far as Richie could tell, she was already living up to his brother’s praise. This whole situation was hot as fuck to him. So unexpected, but totally worth it.

Kate was really getting into it now. She enjoyed Seth’s cock almost as much as Richie’s, although she was obviously a little biased. Richie was the love of her life, and no man could truly compare. Although Seth was a close second. He did a lot of similar things to Richie sexually, but there were definitely differences. 

She could tell Seth was a little more dominate, liking to have most of the control. Richie liked it both ways. He could be extremely aggressive, or just let her take the lead. And while both brothers made similar noises, Richie definitely made more. Kate liked that about him, it made her feel like she was doing a good job. She could hear him moaning next to her as Al licked and sucked her way up and down his cock. Even though she wasn’t the cause of it this time, it was still unbelievably sexy to her. It made her want Seth’s cock even more somehow.

Seth was savoring every second of Kate’s mouth around him, but if she kept this up, it would be a short night. He wanted this whole experience to last as long as possible. So he decided it was about time he tasted her sweet, little pussy for himself. 

“Kate,” he moaned. “You’re fucking amazing, but I wanna go down on you.”

“Really?” She asked, removing him from her mouth.

“Oh yeah,” he said. “Let me taste that pussy.”

Kate smiled a sexy, little smile, and stood up. She traded places with Seth, and he dropped to his knees before her, spreading her legs and putting them over his shoulders. First he used his thumb to rub her clit, causing her to squirm and giggle. Then he replaced that thumb with his hot, wet tongue. He slid it up and down her, flicking it across her clit. She began to moan as he sped up, licking and sucking at her tender flesh.

Kate was bucking at his face, he felt so good, “Mmmmmm, Seth. Yeeees, ohhhhh.”

She started pulling at his hair, like she did to Richie. Seth obviously liked it too, because he moaned and chuckled into her. She loved when they did that.

“Mmmmm,” moaned Richie, watching what was happening next to him. He loved listening to the noises Kate made during sex too. “Al, come fuck this cock.”

Al let Richie’s cock slide from her mouth with an audible plop, and smirked, “Yes sir.”

She straddled his lap, but before she could slide him in, Richie first used his middle finger to slide up and down her. Then he shoved it home, pumping in and out lazily, making her shudder and bite her lip. Then he removed his finger, and brought it to Al’s mouth. She sucked it like she was just sucking his cock, and he grunted at both the sight and the feeling. 

Al slipped his finger from his mouth and grabbed his cock. She stroked it a few times, then slowly lowered herself down his thick length. He moaned again, and took a deep breath as he filled her completely. 

“Mmmm, fuck,” she moaned, placing her hands on his shoulders for support. 

Kate looked over, watching as Al started rocking her hips, and slowly lifting herself up and down Richie’s cock. Up until now, she still wasn’t sure if she might get at least a little jealous when Al and Richie actually started fucking, but she actually wasn’t. She was enjoying the feel of Seth’s tongue, and the looks of pleasure on her counterparts. It was actually kind of exhilarating.

Al was bouncing up and down with vigor now, and her big tits were bouncing with her. Richie was enjoying the way his face felt as he rubbed it between them. He slapped her ass roughly, then squeezed it with both hands as she continued bouncing.

The familiar slapping sound of skin hitting skin filled the room, joining the echoes of moaning and panting. It made Seth stop what he was doing to look at the show next to him. It made him smile, not only was this whole thing hot was Hell, but the sight of Richie burying his face between those gorgeous tits was comically delightful. He could hear his muffled chuckling as she squeezed them together, smushing his face between them.

Kate was watching too. She had to admit, she was a bit envious of Al’s boobs. They made her think hers were too small. Al told her once to be thankful her boobs were a manageable size, her back wouldn’t hurt as much, and bra shopping was easier. Telling her they always had all sorts of cute, colorful bras for women with normal sized boobs, but hers were limited to mostly black, white, and nude. Also when Kate brought it up to Richie, he told her he loved her boobs just the way they were. Then he told her it wasn’t always just about the “T”, the “A” was also important, and he thought her ass was amazing. Somehow he always had a way of making her feel better about herself. 

Seeing what was going on next to him, Seth was now in the mood to fuck. He shoved his finger inside Kate to get her attention back on him. She squealed as he did, looking at him with lustfully, playful eyes. He pumped it in and out a few times before removing it and sucking it clean. Then he grabbed his cock and guided it to her. He got just the tip in when Kate stopped him.

“Wait, Seth,” she panted. “I’m not on the pill, you need a condom.”

“Fuck!” He exclaimed. “I don’t have one on me, and no fucking way am I running down the hall to get one.”

“Fuck,” she breathed.

“We can still do this,” he insisted, wiggling his eyebrows. “I promise I’ll pull out.”

“You better,” said Richie, from between Al’s tits. He removed his face and gave his brother a look. 

“I absolutely will. Kate?”

“Okay,” she said. “But I’m counting on you to follow through and pull out.”

He shoved himself all the way in, “You have my word Katie-Cakes.”

Seth started thrusting with a passion, deep and quick. He had Kate biting her lip and moaning in no time. He couldn’t help his own moaning and grunting either, she was so tight. 

Richie stood up with Al wrapped around him. He set her down on the armrest and dropped to his knees. He started pumping his two fingers in and out of her vigorously, then started licking her clit. He gave her sensitive flesh quick, forceful laps and swirls, sending shivers down her spine. 

Al tilted her head back and moaned, “Holy fuck, Richie! God, that’s good. Mmmm.” She looked over her shoulder at Kate, who was giving her a devilish grin. “You get this all the time?”

“Yes,” she giggled back. “That’s his specialty.”

“No joke,” chuckled Al. “Fuuuuuck, Richie!”

Al was squirming as Richie continued eating her out, moaning, and running her fingers through the hair at the back of his head. He loved the sensation of fingers in his hair, tugging or just running through it. She was panting his name and cussing over and over. He knew she was close.

Seth was still pumping away at Kate, only now he was also rubbing her clit with his thumb. 

“Ohhhhh shiiiiit, Seth,” she panted. “Yeeeeessss.”

Al started completely falling apart on the other side of the couch, cumming as Richie continued his assault. For whatever reason, hearing her cum, sent shivers down Kate’s spine, and she followed suit as Seth frantically slid in and out.

The echoing moans by the girls were overwhelming to Richie, sending pulses straight to his cock. He was making Alessandra wiggle and writhe at his touch, which is something he liked doing, and his brother was making Kate, the love of his life, cum to the side of him. He couldn’t wait any longer.

Al was barely in recovery from the immense pleasure Richie just gave her, when he was pulling away. He stood up and turned her around. He had her bent over the armrest with lightning speed. He started pumping into her from behind with quick, hard thrusts. His hands were gripping her hips with intensity as he pulled her back to meet each of his thrusts. 

“Ahhhh, fuck Kate,” moaned Seth. “I don’t know how much longer I’m gonna last.”

“That’s okay, baby,” she panted, biting her lip. “Just fuck me hard. You feel so good, Seth. Mmmm.”

Richie groaned from the other side of the couch. Not only did fucking Al feel amazing, but he just couldn’t help himself when Kate talked like that. Even though it wasn’t directed at him, it was still getting him all riled up. 

“Fuck, I’m close, Al,” he panted.

“Ohhh, yeah,” she moaned back. “So am I. Ahhhhh. Oh my God. Right there. Fuuuuck, Richie.”

“Mmmmm, Seth. Oooohhhh fuck,” moaned Kate.

She was on the edge again, Seth was trying to push her over one last time.

Richie made eye contact with Kate for the first time, and just looking at his face while he was balls deep in Al was enough. She came again, whimpering and moaning incoherently. That set him off, his rhythm faltered and he started moaning, and grunting as he came hard, deep within Al. 

Al too came as Richie finally teetered her over the edge. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she moaned, “Mmmmmm, fuuuuck, mmmmmm.”

Seth was caught up in the moment. With both Richie and Al moaning next to him, and Kate moaning and squeezing around his cock, his orgasm was fast approaching. He almost forgot to pull out, but managed to just in time. He grunted and jacked himself a few times as hot cum spurted across Kate’s stomach. 

Streak after streak of the sticky liquid covered her belly, and Kate liked it. Richie never pulled out, he always finished inside. The only time she got to watch him cum is when she was going down on him. She might ask him to start pulling out sometimes now, so he could cum on her stomach and chest like Seth. It was so sexy to her.

When Seth was spent, Kate ran her finger through some of his cum. Then she sucked it into her mouth, taking her finger all the way in. She removed it with a plop, and the look on his face was priceless. Almost like Richie’s was the first she did that to him. It made her laugh.

When all was said and done, they separated for the night. Kate wanted to take a shower to get cleaned up before bed, and asked Richie to join. He did without hesitation. Seth made the same suggestion to Al, who also took him up on his offer. Then they all went to bed and fell fast asleep.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next afternoon Al was getting ready to leave. She hugged Richie goodbye, followed by Seth. He gave her a longer, firmer hug than Richie, who mainly did it because Kate made him. He would never be a hugger, no matter how many times she tried.

Last but not least, was Kate. She squeezed Al tight.

“Kate,” laughed Al. “I can’t breathe.”

“Do you even really need to?” Giggled Kate.

“To an extent,” she smiled, as Kate let her go.

They walked to her rental together, leaving the boys in the bar.

“I’m really gonna miss having you around,” said Kate. “I don’t have many girls to talk to around here. It’s mostly just Seth and Richie.”

“It’s not like we can’t call each other,” smirked Al. “I intend to keep our regular phone calls a thing.”

“Still not the same though.”

“It’s only until April this time. You guys are coming out, right?”

“Of course we are. I can’t wait.”

“Good. Ever been to Chicago?”

“Nope,” said Kate.

“Well then I guess I’ll have to show you around,” smiled Al. “It’ll be fun.”

“Ohhhh, and maybe I’ll get to meet this Sean you keep talking about.”

“Hopefully. We’re actually supposed to go out for dinner tomorrow night.”

“Tell me all about it,” smiled Kate.

“You know it,” Al smirked back.

Kate hugged Al one more time before she got in the car. Before Al closed the door though, she had one more parting statement.

“You know, this was probably one of, if not the funnest few weeks of my life. You guys really know how to make a girl feel welcome.”

“I had a lot of fun too, and we loved having you.”

“But as fun as last night was, and it was fucking amazing, I think we can all agree we should probably never do that again,” she chuckled. “It was intense, and I’m glad we did it, but I’m pretty sure it shouldn’t be a regular occurrence.”

“Agreed,” laughed Kate. “But what if Sean is really into things like that? Then we’ll probably have to let him experience it too.”

“Again Kate, you surprise me,” smirked Alessandra. “Being a sexually free spirit with Richie has definitely changed you, and I like it.”

Kate laughed, “Have a safe trip, Al. Call me when you get home.”

“You bet. See you soon, Kate.”

“Bye Al.”

With that, Al closed the door and made her way back home. Kate walked back into Jackinfe Jed’s, and joined Seth and Richie by the bar. It was back to life as usual for awhile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone! There will be more to come next year with this one. There will be less fluff going forward, as the action and adventure will begin in the second part of this story. Hope you enjoyed this part though.


	6. Welcome to Chicago

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang visits Al in Chicago. They go sightseeing, celebrate her birthday, and learn some interesting things about her new boyfriend. The news he brings, brings on some intriguing options.

Seth, Kate, and Richie arrived at Alessandra’s cozy, suburban house around six. It was a Saturday in early April. The weather was still a bit chilly, especially since they all lived most of their lives in the south. But after the seventeen hour drive to get here, the only thing that mattered was getting out of the car for awhile.

They did stop halfway through to eat some good BBQ, and spend a night in Memphis, but still had eight more hours they drove today. Kate was glad to stretch her legs after being crammed in the car for so long. And while she was dreading doing it again on the way home, she was happy it was two weeks away. 

At least Richie let her sit in the front again for part of the ride, choosing to spread out and sleep in the back. She had to fight the urge to go lay with him though, he looked so comfy. She knew she could easily lay on top of him, and he wouldn’t care. Sometimes she would lay on him like that for awhile after sex when she was on top. Just cuddling, resting her head on his chest, and listening to the slow beat of his heart. She even fell asleep while doing that a few times, and he just laid there, gently running his fingers across her back or through her hair until she woke up.

When they pulled into the driveway, Al happily let them in as Richie ran to the door avoiding the setting sun. He still managed to grab both his and Kate’s suitcases out of the trunk before burning up. He was sizzling a bit as he made it to the door though. As far as he could see, the small amount of pain the burning caused was still no reason for him to make Kate carry her own heavy luggage. Not that he thought she couldn’t do it, just that as long as he was there, she shouldn’t have to.

Al hugged all of them one by one, even Richie, who at this point just accepted that it was going to happen. He liked Al anyway, and secretly didn’t mind her hugs. He just would never tell anyone that, especially her or Seth. He would never hear the end of that if he did.

“Welcome to Chicago, guys!” she smiled. “Well the suburbs anyway. I’ll show you around the city tomorrow. I made some sightseeing plans for the day, and some dinner reservations.”

“Is Sean gonna be here?” Asked Kate, all excited.

Since Al got back, they started dating. They’ve been seeing each other since the day after she got back, and it seemed pretty serious. Kate heard so much about him over the last few months, and couldn’t wait to meet him. 

“Yeah,” smiled Al. “Eventually. He said he wanted to meet you guys since I never shut up about you, so he’s gonna come over right after work.”

“When’s that gonna be?” Asked Kate.

“Within the hour. I was hoping you guys would come pick up dinner with me, and he should be here when we get back.”

“What’s for dinner?” Asked Seth.

“Chicago style hot dogs,” she smirked. “There’s a place not that far away called Gene and Jude’s. They have some of the best dogs around. But I’m warning you, don’t even think about asking for ketchup, they don’t have it. Plus you’ll just embarrass me, and I’d like to not ruin my reputation by bringing amateurs with me.”

“No ketchup?” Asked Kate.

“Hell no!” Yelled Al. “That shit doesn’t belong on a hot dog. You can choose from mustard, relish, onions, and sport peppers like normal people.”

“When in Rome,” smirked Richie. “I’m sure deep dish pizza is also gonna happen at some point.”

“You’re Goddamn right,” chuckled Al. “You haven’t tried pizza until you try this, and this is coming from an Italian. It’s nothing like we had back home, but damn is it worth it.”

They settled in and headed out shortly after to grab dinner. They took Al’s new car, a Maserati Quattroporte, which made Seth flip a lid.

“When the fuck did you get this thing?” He asked in astonishment.

“About the same time I freaked out and sold all of Vincenzo’s things,” she laughed. “I sold all his collectibles, his Cadillac, and eventually my Alfa Romeo. Then I got this beauty. I’m in love with her. More so than any car I’ve ever owned. From the moment I sat in the driver seat, I had to have her. Her name is Black Lightning.”

“You named it?” Asked Kate, with a smirk.

“First of all, Kate,” said Al. “She’s not an it, she’s a she. And of course I did. She’s my baby.”

“I didn’t know you were into cars,” smirked Seth.

“I dabble,” she chuckled. “I wanted to get the GTS version, but it was a tad out of my price range. But the standard is pretty awesome anyway. She has a 424 horsepower engine. Makes you want to have sex every time she purrs. Mmm.”

“You didn’t, did you?”

“What?”

“Have sex in this car?” He asked.

“Duh,” she laughed, then said a with a completely straight face, “In every seat.”

“Eh,” said Seth and Richie, making identical faces.

“Relax,” she chuckled. “I was on top, he was wearing pants. So the seats are totally clean. Plus I brought a towel because I’m really that protective of her,” she paused briefly. “You wanna drive her on the way back, Seth?”

“Fuck yeah,” he said. “Never driven one before.”

“Oh my God, you’ll love it. Just be careful with her, Seth. I mean it.”

“Of course,” he smiled.

“What the fuck about me?” Asked Richie.

“You guys are here for two weeks. I’ll let all three of you drive her. But if anything happens to her, I’ll most likely kill you. Just fair warning.”

“Acceptable terms,” he nodded, and they were off.

When they got to the hot dog place, the line was astronomical. Seth couldn’t understand what the big deal was for a hot dog, and why they waited almost twenty minutes just to order. But he and Richie each ordered two with the works. Al and Kate didn’t get any sport peppers on theirs, but Al did order Sean’s with them. Kate asked about ordering fries, which Al pointed out would be wrapped up with the dogs. Then they headed back to Al’s to eat since there was no real space to eat in the place, just a ledge along the window. It kind of reminded Kate of some of the smaller BBQ places back home that were like that.

When they got back to Al’s, there was a big, black, SUV in the driveway. And when they walked in, there was a man sitting on the couch watching TV. When he heard them walk in, he got up and walked over to Al, giving her a quick, little peck on the lips, and thanked her for dinner. Then he introduced himself to everyone.

“And you must be Kate,” he smiled, getting to her last. “I’m glad to finally meet you.”

“Yep,” she smiled back. “And I’m glad to finally meet you. Al’s told me so much about you.”

They started eating their dogs while hanging around the island in the kitchen. Sean seemed nice, standing close to Al, and even putting his arm around her waist. He easily talked with Seth, and even got Richie involved. Kate liked that both of them were trying to be normal around this guy, but figured Seth wouldn’t be the problem. If Sean liked Al, he should easily get along with Seth. But Sean seemed to take special interest in including Richie. That made Kate like him even more. She knew Richie could be impossible with new people, but Sean tried engaging him in all sorts of conversation, and it seemed to be working. 

She also happened to be strangely proud of Richie. He was trying to get along with Sean too, which was a miracle in and of itself. Kate loved Richie to death, but she was also well aware that he could come across as a complete dick, especially to other guys. He could be pushy, rude, condescending, and overly aggressive. He could also sometimes be shy, distant, and disengaged at times. He wasn’t being any of those things with Sean though. He was giving it an honest effort, which was made easier by Sean being so open minded and friendly. 

Kate had an overwhelming feeling that a great deal of that had to do with Al. She probably prepared him the best she could for the Geckos, knowing that both had such strong personalities that sometimes made them difficult to get along with. 

Kate found herself doing what she usually did when she was trying to encourage a certain behavior from Richie. She had her hand under his jacket, and was mindlessly rubbing his back. She always got the feeling that it made him more comfortable, which made it easier for him to be social. Richie was a pretty awkward guy, and lacked social skills, but Kate always figured this action was reassuring him he was doing something right. And she always wanted him to feel like he wasn’t being weird in situations like this. She knew he could come across as overly confident, but she knew better. He was more sensitive than most ever saw, and while he was very confident in his intelligence and skills as a thief, he lacked confidence in social situations. Romantic situations too. Because of his lack of experience, he was never quite sure of what was expected, or what was too much.

She noticed that all of it was becoming easier for him as time went on though. Richie was a great boyfriend. He was loving, caring, and extremely attentive. He always went above and beyond for Kate, and seeing that things were going well seemed to make him more confident in himself in both romantic and social situations. 

The brothers were always so codependent, basically only relying on each other. It was probably good Kate was such a big part of their lives now. It gave them both someone else to rely on, and it seemed to break them out of their shells. She liked to believe that she was helping both of them become better, stronger men, who realized they had great potential. It was the least she could do since they brought those qualities out in her. She wasn’t the shy, scared, little girl they met any more. She was a strong, confident woman.

Kate couldn’t stop smiling as she looked Sean over. Al was right, he was very good looking. He was tall, maybe an inch or so taller than Richie. He was a solid man, built, but not overly muscular. He had short, dark hair, steely blue eyes, and a great smile including the cutest dimple. He even had that stubbly thing Seth had going on. She could tell why Al liked him so much. Not only was he tall and handsome, he was funny and sweet. So in every essence of the word, he was different from Vincenzo. The complete opposite really, and that was just what she needed.

As it turned out, Sean was big into movies too, so the boys went back and forth, talking about all kids of movies. He enjoyed old classics like the brothers did, like old westerns and gangster films. He loved Indiana Jones, and Star Wars too, which Richie really liked. And he made Animal House jokes with Seth. 

After awhile, Kate looked at Al, who was smiling at him as he debated with Seth and Richie over which Clint Eastwood movie was the best. She looked back at Kate and rolled her eyes. Then she took her by the arm and directed her to the couch.

“He could be at that hours,” she smiled. “Especially with those two.”

“I like him,” smiled Kate. “I’ll admit I was a little worried about how those two would be around him. Sometimes it’s like dealing with untrained dogs in public, you have no idea what they’ll do. But they’re having a pretty easy time getting along with him already, and he seems really sweet.”

“He is,” smiled Alessandra in return. “I don’t know how I got so lucky. He’s a great guy.”

“You guys seem really comfortable for only knowing each other a few months.”

“Yeah. It’s really weird. I keep thinking things are moving too fast, but it just seems right. I mean he practically lives here. He’s hardly at his place, and I let him turn the basement into a mancave. It’s just. . . he feels right, you know?”

“I know the feeling,” said Kate, looking over at Richie. “So everything is going good then?”

“Yeah,” said Al. “I mean it’s so different than what I’m used to, but I’m happier than I’ve ever been.”

“I’m glad. You deserve that after what happened with Vincenzo.”

“I spent a hundred years with him, thinking I was really happy, but I never felt anything like this. Vincenzo was much nicer in the beginning than he was the last few decades, but still not quite as nice as Sean. Men from this generation are very different.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. Vincenzo treated me well, but different. You know, because I was a woman. He did gentlemanly things, but because he thought I was helpless or something, not to be polite. And he also tended to not value my opinion, and treat me like he was my better. Now I hear chivalry is dying, and I see all the time how that is in fact true, but I think we have found at least some proof that it’s not completely dead. Sean and the Geckos are just gentlemen, period. They don’t act like we’re useless and can’t do anything by ourselves, they just show respect for women by opening doors, carrying our bags and shit, and paying when they take you out for dinner. Not that I can’t do those things myself, I’m fully capable, but it’s nice that they do those things just out of respect, which I feel many men have lacked for women over time. And sex, it’s really different. I did stuff for Vincenzo, a ton more than he did for me, like it was my job to please him. He expected it. Sean is different, and from the limited experiences I’ve had with the Geckos, they follow suit. I mean Vincenzo did go down on me, but only if I asked. Sean asks if I want him to all the time, or just does it, without me ever having to ask. Like he enjoys doing it. And he’s fucking good at it. It’s different for me, but it’s nice.”

“I definitely know that feeling,” giggled Kate. “Sometimes that’s all Richie wants to do. He’d do it all night if I didn’t stop him, but I’ll never complain about that.”

“I can’t say I blame you, that man has a gift.”

“I know, right?”

“When we first met, I told you that he looked like a master of many tongues, you remember that? But I had no idea what I was talking about. I just meant he looked like he’d eat good puss and enjoy doing it, not that he could potentially make you pass out from the shear pleasure of his tongue. That was a surprise. You never quite explained how good he was at that.”

Kate couldn’t stop giggling, “How was I supposed to know it wasn’t normal? I mean I knew it was good, but he’s the only guy I’ve ever been with. Well until Seth.”

“Seth’s not bad at it either. He doesn’t get all weird about it like Richie does, when he won’t stop, but he made my toes curl and my eyes roll back every time,” she paused briefly. “Oh, and Sean, Sean has a beautiful dick,” smiled Al, laughing. “I mean beautiful, Kate. I mean he like, shaves and shit. Even his balls are great.”

“Oh. . . my God,” laughed Kate.

“Seth was the first guy I was ever with that manscaped, Kate. I wasn’t used to it, but it’s amazing. I never knew just how perfect a penis could be, until I saw Seth all neatly shaved. It just looks so much better, like even more appealing to put in my mouth.”

“Al!” squealed Kate, laughing her ass off.

“And let’s not forget about balls! If I never have to lick another hairy sack, my life will be golden. Vincenzo had more hair around his junk than he did on his head,” said Al, full out shaking she was laughing so hard. “I always loved the “D”, Kate, but I had no idea what I was missing. Vincenzo’s was just like him, short, stout, and un-kept. Not Sean. Well, I mean I guess his is like him too, tall and thick, and well manicured.”

“Al! Oh my God. For real?”

“What?! Are you the least bit surprised I would say something like that?”

“No. But still.”

“I’m telling you, Kate. You’re spoiled. You’ve only been with those two, and life certainly wasn’t like that for most women. Still isn’t. They take care of themselves, know how to treat a woman, they like pleasing you, and they come well equipped. Both of us have somehow hit the man jackpot, Kate. Karma. I think it’s karma.”

Kate couldn’t stop laughing at the complete seriousness on Al’s face during such a ridiculous conversation. It was a very Al type conversation, that a year ago would have made Kate uncomfortable. She appreciated that things had changed for her, because she actually enjoyed times like this. She had a girl best friend she could finally talk about anything with and not feel judged. Between Al and Seth as best friends, and Richie as a boyfriend, life was feeling pretty good about now.

They all chatted for a few more hours before splitting up for bed. They had a day full of sightseeing that Al set up for tomorrow. Al showed Kate and Richie to their room, and Seth to his right next door. As Sean made his way into the master after saying goodnight, Seth pulled Al aside.

“He doesn’t have a problem with me sleeping here does he?” He whispered. “I mean I assume you told him about us.”

“No,” laughed Al. “He doesn’t, and yes I told him. He knows about our friendship and it’s benefits, and knows that I love you guys. But he also knows I’m in it for the long run, and I told him you were a good guy who wouldn’t try anything. He accepts that I had a past, just as I accept he had one.”

“Oh. I just wanted to be sure. Some guys are real weird about that kind of shit, and I didn’t want to cause any problems. You guys seem happy.”

“I appreciate your concern, Seth. But you’re good. Besides, even if he did have a problem, I would have told him to shut up and deal with it,” she smiled back. “I wasn’t about to tell one of my closest friends he couldn’t stay here because my new boyfriend had a problem with the fact we slept together. He’s a good guy, Seth. I think you two will really get along, actually.”

“So far he seems pretty cool,” smiled Seth. “I’m really happy for you, Al. You deserve a nice guy, and I think you found one.”

“Thanks, Seth,” said Al, smiling ear to ear.

“Just checking, he knows everything right? I don’t want to accidentally say something about vampires and shit if he doesn’t know.”

“Yeah, he knows. He’s got his own secrets he told me too.”

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“Nothing bad. We’ll talk about it later. It’s up to him what he wants to share, but I’m sure when he gets more comfortable with you guys he’d be more than willing to let you in. But for now,” she said, going in for a big hug, “Goodnight. Tomorrow should be fun.”

“Goodnight, Al.”

With that, they parted. Seth watched her make her way to her room on the other side of the hall, then made himself comfortable in his. He was happy for her, he really was, but damn was he gonna miss those tits.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Richie,” said Kate, snuggling up close. “Wake up, baby.”

He mumbled and grunted in return.

Kate couldn’t help but laugh at his response. It wasn’t unexpected, he wasn’t a morning person. Although, when he wanted to be, he was sure out of bed early for someone she normally had to force out of the bed. But that was when he wanted, and today clearly wasn’t one of those days. It wasn’t even that early though, it was almost noon.

“Come on, Richie. Al made plans for us this afternoon to go sightseeing in the city.”

“Then can we wait until afternoon to get out of bed?” Asked a groggy Richie.

“It’s already almost noon.”

“Then we still have time,” he said, pulling Kate even closer.

“Richie,” she giggled.

He nuzzled and kissed her neck, and she kept on giggling. She loved when he did that. Eventually he rolled on his back, and pulled her with him. She rested her head on his chest, listening to the gentle, leisurely paced beats of his heart. For some reason, it made her think about his situation here.

“How are you gonna feed out here?” She asked. “You’re probably gonna need to tonight, right?”

“Yeah, Al said she would help me out. I won’t have my steady supply of prisoners, but she knows some areas with my kind of food.”

“We have dinner plans tonight. You think she’ll take you after?”

“Probably. Why?”

“I’m just looking out for my boyfriend,” she smiled. “You hungry now?”

“Why? You offering?”

“If you want to,” she shrugged. “I’ve told you before that I don’t have a problem with it, but you never seem to take me up on it.”

“It’s weird for me,” he said. “I don’t think of food when I look at you.”

“Oh. Kisa and Al told me it’s not always about the blood itself. That sometimes it’s a thrill, kinda like a sexual release when they feed. Sometimes they like to bite just for the pleasure. Is it not the same for you?”

“Ummm, I guess it is,” he shrugged. “But I love you, Kate, and I don’t want to confuse the two with you.”

“Would that make sex better for you? Biting me?”

“Not necessarily.”

“Do you want to try it at some point? See if it does?”

“Kate, there’s nothing wrong with the sex we already have. I like what we do.”

“It’s just a suggestion. I just wanted you to know that I accept you, all of you, and if you want to bring that part out during sex, I’m okay with it. I’m not afraid of you when you look like that, nor is it a turn off. It’s just another part of you, and I love it too,” she paused to kiss him gently on the lips. “Now if you want a snack before tonight, my offer still stands.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,” she said, running her finger lightly across his chest.

“I suppose I could use a little pick me up. But we aren’t making this a regular thing, Kate. It makes me feel like I’m using you.”

“I’m offering, so it doesn’t feel like I’m being used to me. You gonna drink or what?”

Richie kissed her, slow and passionate. Then when he broke the kiss, Kate opened her eyes and watched his change from their beautiful blue, to their yellow, snake coloring. He opened his mouth and his fangs descended. Then he grabbed her wrist, kissed it softly, then bit down.

It still stung, but not as bad as Kate remembered from last time. She knew he was being gentle, so she tried not to show her mild discomfort. He was quick about it though, only taking a little. He retracted slowly, not tearing any flesh as he pulled out. Then he licked the wounds clean.

Richie immediately got her something to wrap around her wrist, and put pressure on it. When the blood had completely stopped flowing, she kissed him again, reassuring him that she was still okay with what just happened.

“Now that you’re fed,” smiled Kate, pulling back. “Let’s get in that shower. It’s gonna be a tighter squeeze than the one at home, but we’re just gonna have to make it work. I’m not giving up showers with my sexy, vampire boyfriend because of confined spaces.”

Richie gave her that oh so confident grin that always sends shivers down her spine, then they headed off to the shower.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Al started the day with lunch. She took them to a local restaurant that served deep dish pizza, which she said was a must if you were going to be in Chicago. They took Sean’s SUV so they could all fit in one vehicle comfortably, which was nice because there was going to be a decent amount of driving today.

The pizza was really good, even though it was different from what they usually ate. Seth liked it the most, requesting that they get some at least one more time before they left. Al had no problem with that request.

“I still think it’s weird you eat it with a fork and knife,” he said to Al. “But I gotta hand it to you. It’s a pretty damn good pie.”

“When have I ever lied to you, Seth?” Smirked Al. “The answer is never by the way, and I wasn’t about to start with pizza. That’s sacrilege.”

Next she had Sean drive them into the actual city of Chicago. She took them past Wrigley Field, and to Millennium Park so they could see “the bean”. She even brought Richie a fedora, so he could get out of the car in the midday sun to pose for a picture by it with Kate. Then one of the whole group together for Al, which Kate made her send to her too. Then they went to the Mag Mile for some shopping. 

None of this was super exciting to either Seth or Richie, but Kate was really enjoying herself, which made they both happy. They took her many different places on their “working vacations” so they were now used to sightseeing. They never did that kind of stuff growing up, but Kate had lots of family vacations, and ensured them that is what people did on vacations. 

They ended up in a very touristy shop at one point that sold a bunch of Chicago memorabilia. Kate bought Richie a Chicago skyline tie clip, and he got her one of those snow globes with the skyline in it because she wanted it. Al got all three “I heart Chicago” t-shirts, which she told them she wanted to see them in before they left.

After that, they still had time before they had to make it to dinner, so Al had Sean drive them to her shop, Pages and Pastries. That’s where they met Sean’s sister, Jackie, as she was hard at work serving the patrons their coffee. 

Al told them to order any coffee, tea, or smoothie they wanted, on the house, as well as any of the delicious looking pastries.

“The pastries are all made in house, fresh every morning, by our pastry chefs Sandy and Michelle,” said Al. “If you want something savory, I’d suggest the croissants. They just melt in your mouth. Absolute perfection. If you’re looking for something sweet, that fresh fruit tart they make is out of this world. But my absolute favorite is the double chocolate doughnut. You can’t go wrong with that.”

Seth and Sean got black coffees, and Richie got a black tea. Al made herself an espresso, and Kate ordered a green tea smoothie. Naturally Al grabbed a double chocolate for herself and Sean, and Kate got a fruit tart for her and Richie. Seth spotted the berry cobbler, and got a piece of that.

When it slowed down a bit, Jackie joined them at their table and chatted for awhile, sipping on a hot tea. She was every bit as nice as Al made her out to be, and Kate was happy to see that. She especially liked when Jackie said she was happy her baby brother finally got himself a nice girl. If she only knew how old Al really was, she was sure girl wouldn’t have been the word to come to mind.

After the short break they made their way over to Navy Pier. Al got them reservations for dinner on one of the boats that cruised Lake Michigan. They would get to see the whole skyline lit up, and she promised it would be beautiful.

But before they boarded, they had enough time to get on Centennial Wheel, the big Ferris wheel on the pier. Richie again had to put on the fedora because the sun hadn’t quite set. Kate got a picture kissing him at the very top. Then she squeezed on the other side between Al and Seth, and got a pic with them, somehow managing to get Sean in there too. 

Then they boarded the boat, and sat down to an amazing dinner while cruising on the lake. Al was right, the city did look beautiful after the sun set. And after dinner and dessert were over, they stood outside the cabin, and took in as much of the city as they could. It was still a bit nippy on this early spring night in Chicago, so Richie gave Kate his coat. He held her close, wrapping his arms around her waist as they leaned along the railing. He kissed along her neck and shoulders as the boat headed back to shore.

Kate looked over and saw Sean with his arm around Al’s waist. She was in close, wrapping her arms around him. They looked so happy, so content. Then he leaned down and kissed her forehead. When she looked up, he gave her a passionate kiss on the lips.

Then Kate looked to the other side, and saw Seth, alone. It made her sad for him, he had nobody to snuggle with. He didn’t look that upset though, resting his arms on the railing and looking at the city. She decided even if he didn’t look sad, she wasn’t gonna leave him hanging. She left the comfort of Richie’s arms, and wrapped hers around Seth from behind, resting her head on his back. She was too busy snuggling up to Seth to see the little smile curve his lips, but Richie wasn’t. It made him smile too.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The group spent much of the next two days at Al’s just hanging out. They watched plenty of movies. It made Kate laugh when she realized she now had three guys debating everything about them as they watched. Sean fit in kind of perfectly actually.

Al spent a good portion of those two days showing Kate some of her recipes at Kate’s request. Kate was determined to be a better cook, and everything she had of Al’s was delicious. She thought it was only fair that she learned to cook Richie some good meals, since he made her plenty of good breakfasts. 

Al had a bunch of good ones under her belt to show her, most of which she told Kate were from her nonna. She was just glad to have someone to teach, and Kate was an enthusiastic and fast learner. 

They started with her famous lasagna for Seth, and tiramisu for dessert. The next day she showed her how to make ribollita, and even a seafood linguine for Kate that was similar to Kate’s favorite dish. This one, however, was made with mussels, squid, octopus, shrimp, and anchovies, and had a lighter sauce, but Kate loved it. She promised to show her anything else she wanted throughout the next two weeks, even her extensive non-Italian collection. She also left her with some classic Al words of wisdom.

“Never underestimate the power of a good sandwich, Kate,” she said.

“A good sandwich?”

“Yeah. Everyone enjoys a sandwich now and then, especially men. So make it a good one if you’re making him one.”

“Okay,” laughed Kate.

“I’m serious, Kate. I pack Sean two or three sandwiches a week for lunch, and he thanks me in marvelous ways.”

“You make his lunches for him?”

“Sometimes. Men are simple creatures, Kate. You fuck ‘em, you feed ‘em, and they’re happy. And a good sandwich’ll do the trick. I throw a nice Italian sub, or pastrami and kraut on rye in his lunch, and I’m golden. Hell, on several occasions I made him a peanut butter and jelly. To which I added an apple, a fun sized bag of Doritos, a snack pack, and a juice box, just to be an ass. Just the thought of him opening his lunch box in front of all his macho, construction pals, and pulling out a lunch that looked like his mom made it for him, had me rolling on the floor. To top it off, I even put a post it note inside that says ‘love you lots’ in a big heart. I know the second he opens those because he always texts me right away saying ‘Thanks. I love YOU lots.’”

“You would do something like that,” laughed Kate.

“Duh,” smirked Al. “And just remember, when all else fails, make Richie a good sandwich.”

Kate laughed and shook her head. Then they went on cooking dinner for the night.

The next night was Al’s birthday, and the five of them were going out. She picked her favorite Italian steakhouse to take them to. It was fancy, but not too fancy, and the food was absolutely delicious. The desserts looked amazing too, but Sean told them he had something special back at the house, so Kate begrudgingly skipped the fancy dessert list.

When they got back, Sean made them all coffee and took a cheesecake out. It was a raspberry cheesecake, Al’s favorite. He put some candles in it after it sat for a bit, and they sang her Happy Birthday. 

“I forgot to ask,” said Seth, after the song ended. “But how old are you anyway?”

“I’m one-hundred-thirty tonight,” she smiled.

“Jesus Christ, you’re old,” laughed Seth. “You know you qualify for senior discounts at Denny’s now, right? Ever tried?”

Alessandra gave him a sarcastic laugh, “You only wish you’d look this good at one-hundred-thirty, Seth.”

Seth laughed back, “By the way, how old are you Sean?”

“I turned twenty-eight in January,” replied Sean.

“Damn, Al!” Laughed Seth. “You’re like some super cougar. You sure okay with dating a woman that much older than you, Sean? There’s quite an age difference.”

“Never thought about it like that,” smiled Sean. “She looks about my age, so it never really occurs to me that she’s not.” He leaned into Al, and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Before you know it, I’m gonna look older anyway.”

“How’d you take the vampire news?” Asked Seth. “I sure as shit freaked out when I found out. Although it was probably a less stressful situation for you. When we found out about this shit we were under attack in a vampire strip club, fighting for our lives. One of us didn’t quite make it out alive,” he said, looking at Richie.

“So I’ve heard,” shrugged Sean. “By the time I found out about vampires, it wasn’t too shocking, although Al was the first one I met. The way I found out about all this shit wasn’t great though,” he paused before continuing. “I found out about werewolves first actually.”

“Really?” Asked Kate. “We only found out about those after we met Al.”

“I found out when I became one,” said Sean.

The room went quiet for a long minute. Al was looking at Kate and the brothers, while grabbing Sean’s hand and holding it tightly.

“When you became one?” Asked Richie. “How did that happen? If you don’t mind me asking?”

Sean cleared his throat, “Well, it’s kind of a long story. But the short version is I got mixed up with the wrong people, saw something I shouldn’t have, and was brought out to the middle of the woods, bit, and left to die. I survived, obviously, but what I saw that night was unforgettable. Then one night, I became what I saw.”

“That’s awful,” said Kate.

“It is,“ said Al, all serious. “When Sean told me, I was shocked. First of all, what are the odds that the guy that I started dating was a werewolf? That certainly made my confession a little easier. But when he told me how it happened, I can’t explain how angry I was.”

“Do you know who it was?” Asked Seth.

“Every one of them,” said Sean.

“They’re part of a mob family, that just so happens to be werewolves at its core,” said Al. “Sean and I plan on getting them back one day. Which is actually something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Al, don’t,” said Sean.

“Let me just tell them, baby,” she said turning to him. “They can do what they want with this info, but I’m gonna tell them,” then she turned back to them. “I wanted to ask for your help, but it’s totally up to you. We want to hit them where it hurts. First get their money, then take down the guy who put out the hit on Sean to begin with, the big boss. Is that something you would be interested in? You’re the professionals and all, and we would obviously split the cash.”

“How much cash are we talking?” Asked Seth.

“Millions,” said Al.

“This family owns a club I used to do security at,” said Sean. “It’s a front for most of their illegal activities, mostly drugs, but also sex trafficking. They’re huge in the cocaine scene around here, getting a couple million a week in cocaine shipped in from Texas. A meat truck shows up every Thursday night with approximately three-million bucks worth of the stuff. The truck drops of the merch, and leaves with the equivalent in cash. So that means on Thursday’s before the truck gets there, there’s the three mill to cover that, plus the money they always have in the safe. So we’re looking at around five to six million in the safe.”

“That doesn’t include the value of the truck,” said Richie, eyes getting dangerously dark.

“What?” Asked Al.

“What if we boost the truck too? Then there’s eight to nine mill.”

“Richard,” cautioned Seth.

“Come on, brother,” smiled Richie. “It’s a hit and a heist. We’ve done it before.”

“That’s more like a hit, a heist, and a hijack. Plus what the fuck are we gonna do with three-mill in cocaine?”

“Details, brother, details.”

“You’re seriously thinking about this?” Asked Sean.

“We’re professional thieves,” smiled Seth. “It’s what we do.”

“Seth,” said Kate. “This is different. You’re not robbing a bank or jewelry store. You’re talking about taking drugs from the mob. This could be really dangerous.”

“Any more dangerous than sneaking in to the Jacknife to steal from and kill Malvado?” Asked Richie. “Kate we’ve dealt with high risk situations before, and came out on top.”

“Did you forget that I died during that whole plan of yours, Richie?” She asked.

“How could I forget that, Kate?” He asked. “I died inside when you died. We’ll be more careful this time, and I’ll know you’re part of the plan, so I’ll include you in it.”

“Richie,” she sighed.

“Kate,” he said. “This isn’t just about the money.”

“It never is with you,” she said.

“Baby,” he pleaded. “We’ll make sure to come up with a good plan before we do anything, and I think we have a pretty decent team between the five of us. We stopped a cult from ending the world together, and stopped a Hell queen together too. Don’t you want to help Al and Sean out with this?”

Kate just sighed, knowing there wasn’t much she could do to stop this. She knew how stubborn he could be when he set his mind on something. Both Geckos were like that.

“How much do you know about this family, Sean?” Asked Richie.

“A great deal. I worked security in that club for five years.”

“I think we should case it out,” said Seth. “Get a feel for it before we commit.”

“That’s easy,” said Al. “All we have to do is go clubbing. But Sean can’t come because they’ll recognize him.”

“Can you give us a pretty good layout from memory?” Asked Richie.

“Yeah, should be no problem.”

“Then it’s settled,” said Seth. “We’ll go take a look at this place and see what we’re working with.”

“Really?” Asked Al. “You mean that?”

“Of course,” said Seth.

“Well then we’ll go on Thursday night,” smiled Al. “It’s the only night worth going there anyway.”

“Why’s that?” Asked Kate.

“First of all, that’s the night the truck comes in. And second, they do throwback Thursdays,” smiled Al. “All the hip hop and R&B goodies from the nineties through the early two-thousands. None of this crap the kiddies listen to now. It’s all Missy, Rihanna, and Usher, no Gucci gangs allowed.”

That was that. The plan to case out the club was set. More details would be given by Sean before they went so they could be as prepared as possible. If everything went smoothly, they would have a decent job on their hands with a pretty good payout on the line.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so it begins. The Geckos just can't seem to keep themselves out of trouble. Be it Hell beasts that want to end the world as we know it, or a potential, high risk robbery. I know this one started out kinda fluffy, but I told you upfront there was going to be trouble for them. Here we go.


	7. Dirty Dancing, Dirty Deeds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew gets to work casing the club, but that doesn't mean they can't also have a little fun.

It was Wednesday night, the night before they would be casing the club. After going out for a light lunch, the group had spent most of the day hanging around the house, watching movies, and eventually playing poker. But now that everyone was in bed for the night, Kate and Richie were having a little fun by themselves.

It started out with a little making out initiated by Richie, who wouldn’t stop kissing and nibbling Kate’s neck. Eventually he ended up between her legs, rutting against her as things got more and more intense. Before long, Kate was shimming out of her pj’s, and Richie was tossing his aside. 

They started with some simple missionary sex, close and tight. Kate liked when they did it like this because she liked the closeness, and being able to kiss him. She liked the feel of his body pressed against hers, looking into his eyes, and wrapping her arms around his neck. And while Richie enjoyed it for many of the same reasons, he also liked switching things up. He could keep at the same position until they finished, but often didn’t, choosing to try two or sometimes three or four positions just to spice things up. 

Before long he was on his knees, with Kate straddling his lap. She was bouncing up and down on him as he moved in sync to her rhythm. Kate was hanging on him, arms around Richie’s neck. His arms were around her waist. She was making little noises and biting her lip, as he kissed along her chest. 

Seth, in the next room, started to hear a familiar squeak squeak of a mattress from next door all of a sudden. Realizing what he was hearing, he rolled his eyes and grunted in disgust. He had never heard them have sex before, besides the two times he was present. This was kind of weird for him, and mildly disturbing. Listening to his brother fuck his girlfriend was not something that interested him, and he was suddenly grateful of the thick walls and extra bedroom that separated them back home. 

“Richie,” panted Kate. “Oh God. Mmmmm, baby. Take me from behind. I love when you do it like that.”

Richie stopped kissing her neck and looked her in the eyes. He gave her a mischievous grin, then kissed her, hard. Then he pulled back and let Kate off his lap. He remained kneeling as Kate backed up to him. He grabbed her hips, pulling her close. He aligned himself, and pushed himself home. 

“Oh!” Giggled Kate, at the feeling of him filling her once again. “Mmmmmm, that’s it baby.”

Richie thrust into Kate quick and deep, making her moan; making himself moan in the process, “Ahhhh, fuck, Kate. Mmmmm.”

He was playing with her tits as they swung under her at his fast-paced thrusting. He slapped her ass aggressively, which made Kate shriek in pleasure. Sometimes he was playful with his slapping, and sometimes not. Kate liked it both ways, and liked that she was never sure what he was going to do until he did it. She actually wasn’t sure he was sure either.

Richie was pumping into Kate roughly, grunting and cussing. Kate was moaning as she got closer and closer. That’s when he pushed her head down on the bed, bending her down to get a better angle. Kate loved when he did that, he always seemed to hit the right spot like that. 

“Ooohhhhhh, fuuuuck, Richie,” she cried. “Oooohhhhh Goooood, yeeeesssss. Mmmmm. Don’t stop, baby.”

“You like that baby?” He asked, voice husky. “When I fuck you like the dirty, little girl you are?”

“Ohhh, fuck me, Richie. Harder, baby. Mmmmmm. Make me cum, baby. Yeeeessss.”

Kate continued moaning and whimpering as he hit that spot over and over, begging him to keep going.

“Ahhhh fuck, Katie,” he moaned. “Ohhh, yeah. Take that cock, baby. Mmmmm.”

Within seconds, Kate was moaning his name incoherently. Whimpering and panting as she was sent over the edge. Richie kept pumping away as her orgasm rolled on and on, before finally grunting an ‘Oh fuck, Kate’, and spilling into her.

Seth heard all of it. At first it was just the mattress, but shit got loud after that. He could hear Richie’s voice rumbling through the wall, even though he couldn’t hear all the words. But Kate’s whimpering and moaning was loud and clear. 

He couldn’t help it, he was hard as shit now. The thought of who was making the noises on the other side of the wall was a bit disturbing to him, but they were sex noises nonetheless, and it was turning him on. 

Seth found himself mindlessly stroking himself as they climaxed in the other room. He pumped along his shaft, harder and faster until he reached his own release. He grabbed a tissue from the nightstand just in time. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate and Al were sitting at the island in Al’s kitchen when Seth joined them. It was eleven in the morning, and the two women were drinking coffee and eating bagels. Seth poured a cup of coffee for himself, then joined the ladies.

“Where’s Sean at this morning?” Asked Seth.

“He’s back at work today. Buildings don’t build themselves,” smiled Al.

“Did you make his lunch today?” Smirked Kate.

“Yep,” smiled Al. “Made him a club sandwich. Bacon, turkey, avocado, spicy mustard, arugula, red onions, and fontina cheese. Shit looked so good, I almost ate it.”

“I’d like one of those too, you know,” said Seth, with a grin.

“Yeah, well you didn’t make me cum three times last night. When you do, then you can ask for, and receive a sandwich that good.”

“I seem to remember doing that on at least one occasion, and there was no sandwich,” he chuckled.

“Did you ask for one?”

“I didn’t know that was an option, or I would have.”

“Perhaps I owe you one,” smirked Al. “I mean I do recall some long nights between us.”

“I’ll take one any time, sister.”

Kate was giggling in her stool while trying not to choke on her coffee.

“What are you giggling about, little miss oooohhhhhh Richie, don’t stop, yeeesss baby?” Asked Seth, mimicking the way Kate moaned his brother’s name. 

That made Kate stop laughing. Her cheeks were now a bright shade of red.

“That’s right,” he smirked. “You guys aren’t as quiet as you think. That or you have some thin walls, Al.”

“Probably a little bit of both,” laughed Al. “They’re not made of concrete like they are at the Jacknife.”

“Oh my God, Seth,” said Kate. “You didn’t.”

“What? Hear you last night? I got news for you, Princess. I did. All of it. I hardly got any sleep since you guys were at it all night, and apparently you have no idea how to be quiet about it.”

“Sorry,” said Kate. “Sometimes I just can’t help it. Especially when he does it like that.”

“Like what?” Asked Al.

“From behind,” smiled Kate. “When he pushes my head to the mattress, and he hits that spot just right. I can’t help the noises I make when he gets it over and over like that. Sometimes he even has to hold me up, because my knees get weak.”

“Damn,” said Al, raising an eyebrow. “That’s good stuff.”

“Yeah,” smirked Kate. “It is.” She paused briefly, looking like she was thinking about something. “Excuse me,” she said, getting up and heading to the stairs.

“You’re kidding, right?” Yelled Seth after her.

“Nope,” she said over her shoulder as she kept right on walking.

“Well that sure backfired, Seth,” smirked Al. “Didn’t it? I mean you were obviously trying to embarrass her, but only succeeded in turning her on enough to go wake up sleeping beauty.”

“Eh,” he laughed. “It happens.”

“I’m sure Richie will thank you when he finds out.”

“The way those two have been going at it lately, I doubt he needs my help.”

“She does seem particularly horny lately,” remarked Alessandra. “She’s even less embarrassed by me talking about it, and overly willing to tell me about what they’ve been doing. Plus, she’s the one that suggested that little New Year’s fling we all had. Our little girl is growing up.”

Seth huffed at that, “At least you don’t have to live with it. I may not have to hear it, but it’s not like I can’t tell. They’re pretty obvious about it, especially when they sneak off in the middle of the day together. They come back with these stupid looks on their faces.”

Al chuckled, then paused. He eyebrows scrunched together, “You know, I knew I was going to have to clean all the sheets after you guys left, but I’m starting to think I might actually need to sanitize that whole room.”

Seth shrugged, “Wouldn’t hurt.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate helped Richie pick out some club appropriate clothes. She still didn’t understand why he packed mostly suits. They were just going to hang around with Al, nothing fancy. He only brought slacks, no jeans, which wasn’t a surprise, so Kate only had so much to work with. She picked out dark gray slacks and a black shirt. She told him no tie, and to leave the tops few buttons undone. He did as he was told, no questions asked. He even rolled his sleeves up a bit.

She brought the little black dress she bought to wear to Scott’s show, she was going to wear that tonight. She knew how much Richie liked her in it, and wanted to feel delicious tonight at the club. There was going to be a lot of scantily clad, young women in this club, and she wanted to make sure his eyes stayed on her. Not that she thought it was going to be a real problem, Richie always only had eyes for her. She just liked reminding him of what he already had from time to time. Plus she liked getting him all riled up, and knew that would do the trick.

Richie was laying on the bed behind Kate as she finished with her final touches. She looked in the mirror and noticed the hungry look he was already giving her. It made her smile an evil, little smile. She knew she already won.

“Baby, can you put this on for me?” she asked, holding out a silver necklace, and breaking his obvious stare.

He grunted a yes, and got up. He took the necklace from her, and laid it around her neck, letting the pendant dangle onto her chest. She moved her hair to the side for him, and he clasped it together in the back.

“Perfect,” she smiled.

She got up, and turned around, looking Richie in the eyes. She gave him a little smile, then got up on her tippy toes and gave him a little peck on the lips. He wrapped his arms around her as she pulled away, pulling her close.

Kate squealed with delight as Richie pulled her tight against his body. She giggled, “Richie,” as she wrapped her arms around his neck

He leaned his head down and gave her a passionate kiss. A kiss that said, you’re mine and I want you. A kiss that said I’ll kill anyone who touches you. Sometimes he was sweet and romantic, and sometimes his possessiveness oozed from his very pores. Kate liked all sides of Richie, but tonight this was the side she wanted.

She pulled away, grabbing his hand, and walked towards the door. It was time to go. He beat her to the door with a few long strides, opening the door for her and following behind her. Not only was it the polite thing to do, he got to enjoy the rear-view as he followed her out.

The rest of the gang was already sitting in the living room waiting for them. Seth was wearing black jeans, a white shirt that was unbuttoned at the top, and a black vest. Pretty typical Seth attire. Al was wearing a tight, sequined, dark purple dress. Not like anything they had ever seen her in, but she looked fantastic. Sean couldn’t go because he would definitely be recognized at the club, and they wanted surprise on their side. So he was just wearing comfy pants and a t-shirt for his night in.

As they got ready to go, Sean wrapped his arms around Al, and gave her a big kiss, “Good luck. Don’t do anything stupid. It’s just recon, nothing more.”

“I know, baby,” she said. “Don’t worry.”

He helped her into her black, leather jacket. It was still April cold out at night. Then she gave him one more quick kiss before they left.

“Richie,” said Al as they approached the car. “You wanna drive? I can’t drive in these heels, and I promised you could drive her before you left.”

“Sure,” he said, with a giddy little smirk.

Al threw him the keys, “Seth, you can have shotgun, but I’m still choosing the music.”

She had the dial set to one of her favorite stations on the radio, it was one that only played throwback jams. She claimed it was a good choice for tonight, because it would get them in the mood for the music tonight at the club. It was throwback Thursday after all.

Halfway to the club, Gin and Juice by Snoop Dogg came on.

“Ha,” laughed Seth. “It’s you song, Al.”

Kate didn’t get it until the chorus came, then she chuckled, “Your drink of choice. Is that what you listened to in the 90’s?”

“Duh,” smirked Al. “I may be old, but I’ve always been hip on that jive, friend.”

“Hip on that jive?” Chuckled Seth

“You heard me,” laughed Al. “I loved the 90’s. The music, the movies, and the TV shows were all great. I listened to all sorts of rock, some of which Vincenzo liked as well, even though he was an old fuddy duddy. Then I got super into hip hop, rap, and R&B. Also listened to a lot of pop. You know, like Backstreet boys, New Kids, and Spice Girls. The best part was that Vincenzo hated all of that. I played it in the car just to piss him off.”

“Did you ever think that’s what really ruined your relationship?” Asked Seth.

“No. He hated everything past the 40’s. He didn’t even like rock and roll when it came out either. At one point he even forbade me from listening to it. Naturally it only made me like it more. So I think the real reason our relationship was ruined was because he sucked, and refused to move on with the times. Clearly it had nothing to do with my charming and fun personality.”

“He forbade you?” Asked Kate.

“Yeah,” said Al, nodding her head. “I told you things were different back then, Kate. And he was super old school. He was born in 1812, so he was used to the idea that a woman honored and obeyed her man. Unfortunately, I never really agreed with that. It was the cause of most of our spats over the century.”

“You were probably the biggest pain in the ass to date,” smirked Seth. “It’s amazing it lasted that long.”

Al put her hand to her heart, and feigned shock, “Impossible. I’m a Goddamn delight to date. You can ask Sean when we get back.”

“Delight might be taking it a bit too far,” chuckled Richie.

“Et tu, Brute?” Asked Al.

Richie just chuckled in the driver seat. Seth grunted his appreciation of Richard’s comment, and even Kate was smiling. Al just shook her head in mock offence.

When they got to the club, they got right in. Al pointed out that they were lucky that it was a Thursday night. Not as many people went clubbing during the week, so the line wasn’t down the block like usual.

Seth and Richie asked the ladies what they wanted to drink. Al of course wanted a gin and juice, stating she had to keep up her gangsta persona, especially in a club like this. 

“You want a rum and coke, baby?” Richie asked Kate.

Kate had been feeling off most of the day. She figured it was all the rich food they’ve been eating since they got to Chicago finally rearing its head. Her stomach was a bit uneasy, and even though a rum and coke sounded delicious, she wasn’t sure it was a good idea.

“Can you just get me a ginger ale for now?” She asked. “My stomach is still feeling weird, and I don’t want to ruin tonight by getting sick or something. We have a job to do after all.”

“Sure, baby,” he said, turning with Seth to the bar.

“You okay?” Asked Al.

“Yeah. I think I’m just not used to eating this way every day. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved everything so far, but it’s different from what I usually eat.”

“Yeah, a steady diet of grilled cheese and burgers will do that to you when you start eating other things. You know, like vegetables,” laughed Al.

“Ha ha,” said Kate, rolling her eyes.

The boys made it back with the drinks a few minutes later.

Richie handed Kate her ginger ale and asked, “You sure you’re up for this, Kate?”

“Huh?” She asked. “Ummm yeah. Just because the thought of alcohol right now makes my stomach churn, doesn’t mean I’m willing to pass up the chance to dance all over you all night. You look smokin’ hot tonight, baby, and I’m gonna rub myself all over that sexy body of yours. Just try to keep up with me, big boy.”

He gave her a dirty, little smirk, and followed her to the dance floor. Al was dragging Seth with her, as she followed them out.

In between dancing and grinding, the group scoped out the place. From what Sean told them, the safe was in a room towards the back near the VIP section. They could easily see the door from their location on the floor. It was at the end of the wall, just to the side of the steps that led up to the VIP lounge. Around the corner, was a hall that led to the bathrooms, and an exit to the back alley.

After a few songs they briefly took a timeout to refresh their drinks. They also stood by one of the tables along the walls while they did this, so Richie could have a place to write on. He was busy mapping out the locations of all the cameras and bouncers in the place, while the others kept watch. 

It was almost 10:00 by this time, which is the time Sean said the truck usually came. Any minute now about three-million in cocaine would enter this club, and the exchange would be made.

Out of the corner of their eyes, the gang noticed a small entourage heading towards the door. There was a middle aged man walking with a younger guy, chatting and smiling. They were surrounded by four large men, obviously the muscle. 

“That’s him,” said Al. “The boss. Carlo Capitani, werewolf by birth. And that younger guy next to him is his oldest son, Angelo.”

“By birth?” Asked Kate. “I thought they had to be bitten?”

“No,” said Al. “It can be either with them. Most are born that way, because most don’t survive after getting bit. Unlike Culebra or Vespertilio venom, werewolf venom is fought off by the blood cells in the body, like an infection. Only this infection has one of two outcomes, the infection wins, or your body breaks down and you die.”

“Regardless of how they’re made, those two look like a couple of real pricks to me,” said Seth.

“From what Sean’s said, that’s a pretty good representation,” said Al.

“Right on time,“ said Richie, looking at his watch. “That’s a good sign. It’ll be easier to pull this off if we know where everyone and everything will be at a given time.”

They watched the posse as they approached the door. Carlo typed a number into the keypad to the right of the door. It opened and they walked in. There were too many of them in the way to get a clear shot into what was in the room.

“He brings four guys with him,” said Seth. “That won’t be easy to deal with when you’re cracking that safe, Richard. It has to be perfect timing. In and out before he gets there.”

“Gonna need a look out,” said Richie. “Someone to let me know when time’s about to run out.”

“I can do it,” said Kate.

“I’m thinking I should tag along too,” said Al. “In case you need a little muscle. Or a diversion.”

“What about me?” Asked Seth. “I won’t be able to lift the truck on my own. Gonna need back up too.”

“Sean can go with you,” said Al. “He knows the layout, and he’s good in a fight if you get into one.”

“This is just the beginning,” said Richie. “The real work hasn’t even begun. We can iron out the details later, once we get a better lay of the land.”

When all the work was done for the night, they decided to play for a bit. The huddle was officially over when Juvenile’s Back That Ass Up came on, and Al grabbed Kate, dragging her to the dance floor. 

She started singing along with the song, “Girl you looks good, won’t you back that ass up,” trying to entice Kate to actually back that ass up, waving her over and looking at her with this goofy-ass smile on her face. The seriousness from a moment ago died, just like that.

Kate started laughing, but eventually did in fact back that ass up on Al. That made Al look over to the guys who were still at the table. She started playfully slapping Kate’s ass, while pointing down at said ass. Then she summoned them over to join.

When the guys made their way over, the girls separated and went to their respective partners. Both Al and Kate backed it up on the guys, while laughing with each other.

The song changed to Tootsee Roll by the 69 boyz, then Lil Jon’s Get Low. Al showed off her strangely good dance moves, by bending over to the front and touching her toes, then bobbing her ass up and down and getting low, just as the song instructed. She wasn’t being serious, and while Seth was enjoying the rear end of her dance moves, Kate and Richie got to watch the stupid faces she was making while doing it. She had them both cracking up, when they noticed her tongue sticking out to the side, with this look of pure concentration on her face.

As the night went by, the partners changed as often as the songs, with Kate and Al often forming what Al dubbed as “a sexy sandwich between Gecko bread”. Al even danced with Richie for a bit while Kate danced with Seth. 

They were having a good time, even Richie was seeming to let loose and really enjoy himself, which led to some interesting dance moves. He particularly got weird with Al, which he probably found easier because she was clearly not taking herself seriously in the least, and wasn’t trying to be sexy at all. Together they made the oddest couple on the floor, with the most bizarre, and dorky looking moves. 

Seth commented to Kate about how everyone was now staring at them, and he was pretty embarrassed to be seen with them. But Kate laughed it off, finding the combination of the two to be hilarious. Especially when Al grabbed Richie’s hands and waved their arms together in the air like they just didn’t care. She enjoyed the carefree smiles on both Al’s and Richie’s faces too. She liked the fact that Richie found yet another person he could be himself with and still be comfortable, and that Al seemed so happy now that her life was getting back together. Sure Al had always been goofy and ridiculous, but tonight was a whole new level, and it was obviously so contagious, even Richie caught it. 

About thirty minutes later though, after some Missy Elliot and some 50 Cent, things became a little more serious, as Kate and Richie started mostly dancing together. Seth and Al noticed the change and left them to themselves, dancing together a little ways away.

Kate was grinding on Richie as the song Whatever You Like by T.I. came over the speakers. She turned around in his arms, and wrapped her arms around his neck. He kept his hands on her hips and they swayed to the music. 

Kate started running her fingers through the hairs at the base of his neck, then pulled his head down to hers, kissing him deeply on the dance floor. Their bodies were now pressed tight together, and Al and Seth who were dancing not that far away, noticed. They started smiling and giggling to themselves at the sight of those two in public.

“Quick,” laughed Al. “They’re out sexying us in public. It’s gonna look bad for our reputations if those two losers make us look like amateurs.”

“What the fuck did you want to do about it?” Asked Seth. “I’m not doing that. I’m sure your werewolf boyfriend would kick my ass if I did.”

“Probably,” laughed Al. “Let’s just turn up our grind game for now. Ain’t nothing wrong with a little dancing. Or competition for that matter.”

Seth just rolled his eyes, and shook his head. Then he grabbed Al, and turned her around. Now her ass was pressed against him. She turned her head and gave him an evil, little grin, then started grinding on him like she meant business.

By the time Ginuwine’s Pony came on, Kate was back to grinding herself on Richie. She still had her arm draped around his neck, pulling his head down to her. Richie placed soft kisses down her neck and shoulders as Kate pressed her backside firmly against him. With her other hand, Kate grabbed his hand and was running it down her stomach. His other hand was placed firmly on her hip, and he rolled his hips back against her.

It was then that Kate realized her reliable, old friend was popping up for a visit. She looked over her shoulder at him, giving him a seductive grin, and started rubbing her ass in gentle circles against Richie’s hard-on. She loved the feeling of it pressed against her, loved the fact that she could always get that reaction from him. With just the simplest touch, he always became hers.

It didn’t matter how often they had sex, or how many times he saw her naked, no matter what, when Kate touched him, Richie was at least somewhat hard. Hell, he thought, just being around her gave him half a stiffy sometimes, and she didn’t even need to be doing anything remotely sexual. He was just always so turned on by her, that she had this overwhelming effect on him. The sound of her voice, especially her laugh, the way she smelled, or even just a look she would give him, and bam, there it was. He knew she knew she had power over him, but he wasn’t sure she knew exactly how much. He belonged to her, plain and simple. He was putty in her hands, and he could tell that she liked every bit of it.

Kate’s utter horniness hit her like a ton of bricks. She wasn’t sure what it was about him lately, but every time he was near, she wanted him. The feeling of his erection now firmly pressed against her, was getting her all sorts of hot and bothered. She was wet, and not just a little bit. The feel of his body, the heat of his breath on her neck, God did she need it. Never once in a public place had she lost this much control. It wasn’t even the alcohol that was making her loose, she had only had ginger ale all night.

She turned around suddenly, catching him off guard.

“I want you,” she whispered in his ear.

He visibly shivered when she said that.

“I think it’s obvious I want you too,” he smirked.

“No, baby,” she said, grabbing him through his pants. “Now.”

He grunted as she stroked him, and when he finally had enough concentration, he said, “What the fuck do you mean, now?”

“Right now, Richie,” she moaned. “I need you now.”

“Here?!”

“Yes, baby.”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Kate,” he panted in pure shock. “What’s gotten into you lately? You serious?”

“I don’t know, Richie, but I need you now.”

“Where?”

“I don’t care, I just need it, Richie. I want you,” she whispered.

Richie was stunned, absolutely flabbergasted. Sure she would dance all over him in public, but they always made it home before they did anything. They would get all hot and bothered as they teased and touched each other all night, and run to their bedroom as soon as they got home, but never did the subject of public sex ever come up. 

“Richie,” pouted Kate, bringing him out of his own head.

He grabbed her hand, and pulled her to the back of the club. He headed past the VIP section, and the illustrious door. He was almost sprinting down the long hall with the bathrooms, pulling Kate behind him. She was keeping pace best she could.

Richie thought about the bathroom, thought about what she would feel if someone caught them in there. The odds were not unlikely that someone would need to use one or the other. Plus it was a bathroom, and those were not inherently sexy. Kate deserved better than public bathroom sex anyway. He wasn’t really sure where else to go though, it’s not like they had many options. Then he saw the red ‘Exit’ sign at the far end of the hallway. Outside to the alley they went.

He walked deeper into the alley, getting them as far from the street as possible. Then he made sure the coast was clear. He didn’t need any bums or drug addicts ruining their mood.

Richie pushed Kate against the brick wall of the club, and forcefully kissed her. She grabbed his shoulders, pulling him tight against her. He couldn’t quite get close enough to her.

Kate was moaning her need and desperation into his mouth, letting her fingers roam through his hair. Richie was gripping her hips, his fingers nearly digging in.

Kate let one of her hands slide down his body until she could feel him hard under her hand. She stroked him up and down. It was his turn to moan.

She reached for his zipper, undoing it, and letting her hand wander into his pants. She grabbed him, and pulled him free.

Richie broke the kiss to look down at her. Her hand was around his cock, and her eyes were pure fire. 

“You sure?” He asked.

“Fuck me, Richie,” she panted in response.

Richie couldn’t resist when she talked like that, and she knew it. He grabbed under Kate’s ass, picking her up. She wrapped her legs around him as he did, locking her arms around his neck at the same time.

He released one hand from under her, still able to hold her weight with just one arm. He lifted her skirt a bit, and ran his finger over her panties.

“God damn, Kate,” he purred. “You’re absolutely soaked.”

“I said I need you, and I mean it.”

Richie just pulled her panties to the side, not wanting to compromise her anymore than he already had to, in case someone happened to stroll upon them. He slid in, and Kate’s breath caught in her throat.

“Mmmmmm, Richie,” she moaned, biting her lip.

Richie pumped into Kate furiously, fast, and forceful. He was just as turned on as Kate was by this sudden change. He never had sex in an alley before, not anywhere in public really. It was more intense than he thought. There was this rush he got from it. 

Kate was panting in Richie’s ear, enjoying every second of it. She never really gave public sex a thought, actually thinking it was kind of trashy. But here she was, relishing the feeling of Richie’s cock filling her in a dark alley. And it was her idea, nonetheless.

Richie worked fast, it was his full intention to make this a quickie. They didn’t do quickies often, he enjoyed taking his time with her. They could spend hours pleasuring each other with kisses, teasing, foreplay, oral, then finally actual sex. But he knew what to do to get her going, and once she did, he was always soon to follow.

Kate’s breathing started to quicken. She was moaning his name followed by lots of yes’s and oh God’s. She was close.

Hearing the sounds she was making made Richie smile. He again removed one arm from around her, bringing his hand between them. He kissed Kate as he slid his hand under her dress. Then he started rubbing her clit, sending waves of pleasure through her.

“Oh yessss, baby,” whined Kate. “Ooohhhhh fuck, Richie. Mmmmm.”

“That’s right, baby,” he growled back. “Cum for me.”

It wasn’t long before she did. She bit his neck to stifle her moans, but she was still loud in his ears. While the sound of Kate’s orgasms were always like music to Richie’s ears, the sting of her teeth breaking his skin was new, and highly erotic to him. He followed her into the abyss, moaning, and panting a loud ‘fuck’.

He held her as they caught their collective breath. Then finally put her back on the ground, keeping his arms around her waist as she regained her balance. 

She laughed into his chest, then looked up into his face, “That was amazing”.

“Yeah, that was,” he chuckled back.

She kissed him, long and deep. Then she grabbed his hand and dragged him back through the alley towards to door to the club.

Seth and Al might have been too into their own dancing to notice Kate and Richie leave, but they sure as Hell noticed them coming back. They could see Richie weaving through the crowd, with Kate in tow.

“Ummmm,” said Al. “Did they just, you know, fuck?”

“Looks like it,” said Seth in surprise. “I did not see that comin’.”

“Me either,” smirked Al, “You’re right, they’re totally obvious about it. They have it written all over their faces.”

“Now you see what I have to put up with,” he smirked back.

“Hey,” said Al with a smirk as Kate and Richie found their way back.

“Hey,” said Kate, all blushy and swollen lipped.

Al was about to make another comment when a voice rang out from behind her.

“Richie?” Asked the shocked female voice. “Richie Gecko?”


	8. The Past is the Past, Until it's Not

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We find out who the mysterious woman in the club is.
> 
> Tidbit: Seth, who was still smiling ear to ear at the sight of this woman, finally noticed Kate and the daggers she was shooting at her. He rolled his eyes and sighed at her overwhelming jealousy issues, but figured it was time to intervene before she lost the battle to contain herself.

Richie looked up at the blonde woman standing behind Alessandra and Seth. They made eye contact.

“Shit,” she breathed. “It is you.”

Seth turned around in a flash. They were recognized, and that wasn’t a good thing, considering they were supposed to be dead and all. And the fact that they were currently in the middle of a job.

“Seth?!” She yelled as she laid eyes on him. “Oh my fucking God! I can’t believe it!”

“Jess?!” Shouted Seth, as he finally recognized the woman in front of him. 

The woman, Jess, took a step closer and wrapped her arms around Seth’s neck, “ I. . .I thought you you dead. Both of you. I saw it on the news a few years ago.”

She pulled back, taking him all in. She kept her hands on his shoulders as she looked him over, a huge smile on her face.

Neither Kate or Al knew exactly what to make of this. Who the fuck was this woman, thought Kate. And why was Seth hugging her?

That’s when Jess finally let go of Seth, and made her way over to Richie. She hugged him just the same, and to Kate’s surprise, he hugged her back with equal intensity. 

“I’m just so glad you’re alive,” she said while still wrapped around Richie. Then she pulled back, and brought her hands to his face, cupping it between them. “Oh my God, look at you. I never thought I would see you again.”

When Kate saw this, and the fact that Richie’s hands still hadn’t left her hips, she couldn’t help the jealousy raging through her body. Who the fuck was this woman, she thought again. Who does she think she is, touching him like that? And why was he letting her? She fought the sudden urge to pull her off him, not because she didn’t want to, but because she didn’t want to make a scene when they were hoping to go unnoticed. 

Seth, who was still smiling ear to ear at the sight of this woman, finally noticed Kate and the daggers she was shooting at her. He rolled his eyes and sighed at her overwhelming jealousy issues, but figured it was time to intervene before she lost the battle to contain herself.

“Jess,” he said. “What are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here?” She asked with a giddy smile, turning to face him. “What are you doing here? Last I heard, you two drove off a cliff. Now here you are, standing before me. In a sleazy club in Chicago, no less.”

“We had to throw off the cops,” he said with a sly smirk. “Couldn’t afford to have them still looking for us.”

“Well I’m happy that’s the case,” she said. “My heart sank when I saw the news.”

Kate was now standing as close to Richie as she possibly could. She put his arm around her shoulder, and wrapped herself around his midsection. Just a little reminder to him of who he belonged to, and a clear sign to this other woman that he was in fact hers. 

“Ummm,” said Al. “Excuse me. Who the Hell are you?”

Leave it to Al to take the words right from my mouth, thought Kate.

Jess turned to look at her, giving her a confused look, like she suddenly realized the Geckos weren’t the only people in the room.

“Al,” said Seth. “This is Jess Reynolds. She’s a friend of ours from high school. Jess, this is Alessandra, she’s a friend of ours.”

“Nice to meet you,” said Jess, sticking her hand out towards Al.

Al took it, eyeing her closely, “Likewise.”

A friend, thought Kate. A friend?! Since when did either of the Geckos have friends? A high school friend he said. She wasn’t aware they even had many in high school. Richie had certainly made it clear he didn’t really have any, claiming he spent most weekends at home with Uncle Eddie watching old movies. But this woman was clearly happy to see him, and Kate could tell he was also happy to see her. What the fuck was going on?

“And this is Kate,” he continued. “Kate, this is Jess.”

That’s when Jess turned and finally looked at Kate. She offered her her hand as well, but also noticed how she was clinging to Richie. She got the hint loud and clear. She gave Richie a side glance and a little smirk, as Kate finally reached her hand out to her.

“Hi, Kate.”

“Hi,” Kate said back. “I’m Richard’s girlfriend. Since he’s obviously not gonna mention it.”

Richie looked down at Kate, gulped and gave her an awkward smile. The fact that she used his full name was a pretty good indicator that she wasn’t pleased. He hugged her more closely, trying to reassure her he wasn’t being intentionally stupid.

“Jess,” said Seth again. “What are you doing in Chicago?”

“It’s kind of a long story,” she smirked. “But let me tell you the short version. You remember Robbie Birkenstein?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, we got serious after you guys left. We were together up until about six months ago. We had a daughter, we got married. Long story short, I found out that he started cheating on me with his secretary. Now we’re divorced, and I needed a change. So I packed up my daughter and moved her here, so we could stay with Paul until I get back on my feet.”

“Pauly?” Shouted Seth. “You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me. He’s here too?”

“He is. I’m currently still living with him and his fiance, Roxy. He’s doing pretty good for himself. He’s a money manager, works with some really high power clients. Got pretty good at hiding money too, if you know what I mean.”

“So he’s a fence?” Asked Richie, with a small smirk.

“You can say that,” she smiled back. “He doesn’t turn anyone away no matter how they earn their money. That’s why he’s got some of the richest clients in town.”

“What about you?” Asked Seth. “Still getting into trouble?”

“Not really. Being a full time mom makes you less risk prone, I have someone relying on me. I worked at a daycare until I moved up here. Now I’m working here a few nights a week until I get back on my feet.” She paused and gave them a sly grin. “At least that’s what I keep telling everyone who asks.”

“Why are you here then?” Asked Richie.

“I’m scoping it out,” she smirked.

And that got everyone’s attention.

“Scoping it out?” Asked Seth, careful about letting out any clues.

“I’m pretty sure this place is a front for one of the biggest crime bosses in the area. I think they run drugs and girls out of it, and stash some major cash here. I want in on some of that cash. I’m betting it would be a pretty good payday if I pulled it off.” She laughed, “Just like old times, boys. I get my eyes on a wealthy asshole, and I want to redirect some of his cash my way.”

“Huh,” said Al. “Interesting.”

“You got yourself a plan?” Asked Richie.

“Not yet,” she said. “I’ve only been here a month. I’m still doing recon. These people aren’t like the ones we used to work with, these guys are dangerous. I have too much to lose to make a mistake.”

“Hmmm,” grunted Seth.

“I could use a partner or two, if you guys want in?” She asked. “Right now it’s just me, Pauly, and Roxy. We’re amateurs compared to you two. Robbing that bank in Abilene of thirty-million in bonds. Only you two could pull that off.”

“You want to work together?” Asked Seth, in shock.

“It would be just like the old days. The crew would be back together, pulling off a score. Only this would be by far the biggest thing we’ve ever done. We would split the money of course, I’m sure there’s plenty to go around.”

Seth turned to look at the others. It’s not like they couldn’t do this on their own, but it’s also not like they couldn’t use the extra hands. It was a pretty big job to crack the safe, jack the truck, and kill the boss. It wasn’t really about the money for them, so splitting it wasn’t an issue, he thought. Besides, it could be fun working with them again. And what if her time spent here brought valuable insight? It might be worth the risk. Or this could be a huge mistake, and an epic disaster.

He went down the line, getting everyone’s opinions. Al raised a brow, not sure what to think, and leaving the decision up to him, trusting his judgement. Kate just still looked pissed, but also kind of curious. And Richie gave him a slight tilt of the head, indicating it was up to him. 

Goddammit, he thought. They were working the same job, and he couldn’t bring himself to take that away from her. They were old friends, good friends at that. A lot had changed though since they last saw each other, how could he know if she could still be trusted. Then he thought back to when he so easily trusted Sonja, someone he didn’t even know. So how could he not trust Jess, who he knew well? She was always a good person. Or at least she was when he knew her. Screw it, he thought.

“Why not? We’re actually here casing the joint too,” he said.

“Really?”

“Yeah. So I say maybe we get together and see what we all have. Put everything on the table, and see if we want to do this. For old times sake.”

“You have a deal, Gecko,” she smiled. “Paul is gonna flip when I tell him I not only met you guys here, but we’ll be working together.”

They made arrangements to meet up on Saturday. Al suggested her place, so they could talk about it over dinner. Seth suggested somewhere neutral, but she thought it was safer to have the meeting on her home turf. It was the only way she knew they wouldn’t be overheard by someone connected to the family somehow. Jess agreed, and they said their goodbyes.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate and Richie were laying in bed later that night. For once they were not cuddled together, but both laying on their backs on their side of the bed.

“Richie,” said Kate, turning her head to him.

“Hmmm?” He grunted, still looking at the ceiling.

“Why have you never mentioned her to me?”

“What?” He asked, a little annoyed, giving her a look.

“Jess. Who is she to you?”

“Like Seth said, she was a friend of ours.”

“Then why have you never talked about her?”

“It never came up.”

“Bullshit. I ask you all the time about your past. You always told me you never really had any friends,” she said, turning on her side towards him.

“I didn’t have many friends,” said Richie, also turning to her. “She and her brother were pretty much the only people besides Seth that I talked to, and we didn’t meet them until later on. Why are you being so weird about this?”

“Because sometimes I feel like I don’t know anything about you. I tell you stuff about me all the time, but you still won’t open up to me, and that makes me nervous.”

“Nervous?” He asked. “Nervous about what?”

“I don’t know. That you don’t take us seriously.”

“You have nothing to worry about, Kate. I take this relationship very seriously. How can you doubt that?”

“Because you’re so closed off from me. Like you don’t plan on stickin' around or something.”

“That’s not true. I’m more open with you than anyone.”

“Then what are you hiding from me?” Asked Kate. “What can be so bad that you won’t tell me? I know you rob banks, I know you killed people, Hell I even know you killed your dad. It should be obvious by now that none of that matters to me, I love you anyway. So why do you always keep stuff from me?” 

“I’m not keeping things from you,” he said. “I just don’t like talking about it. Besides, what does it matter what my past was like? All I care about is my future. With you.”

“Richie. . .”

“My past wasn’t great, Kate. But what I have with you. . . that’s what really matters. That’s who I am, that’s who I want to be. Yes Jess was a friend of ours, a good friend, but nothing more. Am I happy to see her? Yeah. But nothing will ever come between us, Kate. Nothing.” He paused and exhaled loudly, working his jaw muscles under his skin. “If you want to know more about my life before you, I’ll tell you, but just be prepared for disappointment.” 

“Richie,” said Kate. “I know not everything was a disappointment. What about Uncle Eddie? He was good to you.”

“He was.”

“Then maybe one day you could tell me more about him. And the things you guys did together.”

“Sure,” said Richie. “But for now. . .” he wrapped his arms around Kate, pulling her close. “Why don’t you just come here.”

Kate giggled as he snuggled her close to his body. She put her hands against his bare chest, feeling the solidness under her fingers. She breathed him in, and sighed as she nuzzled her face against him.

Richie planted a soft kiss on her head, “Goodnight, Katie. I love you.”

“I love you too, Richie.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was Saturday night, and Kate was in the Kitchen with Al preparing dinner before the guests arrived. She had outdone herself with the menu, but Kate took it as a chance to learn high end, classy cooking from the Vespertilio. 

It was a full, three course meal that Al put together. It was a little over the top, but when Kate saw the look in her eyes when she was talking about it, she knew she meant business. It seemed that just the thought of pulling it off was somehow so appealing to her, that it was almost like sexual gratification. If everything went smoothly, Kate was pretty sure Sean was going to be the one to reap the benefits tonight. Just the thought was making her giggle on the inside.

Al’s menu started off with an appetizer of fried calamari and cauliflower. There was also a spinach and arugula salad with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette. The main course was rosemary, garlic rack of lamb, with sides of roasted root vegetables, and glazed green beans. For dessert she made a three layer, black forest cake, with a drizzled, chocolate, mirror glaze, and topped with cherries and cream. Kate thought it looked too good to even eat, but Al was very proud of it.

Al told Kate that black forest was Sean’s favorite, and she had made this for him several times, although this was the fanciest version she ever made. Kate just so happened to be in the kitchen when Sean came home from work, and saw it for the first time.

“Is that what I think it is?” He asked with the most serious look on his face.

“You know it, baby,” smiled Al.

His eyes glazed over, and the look on his face was animalistic, and intense. Kate could swear she actually heard him get an erection, he was so excited over this cake. She was trying to hide the smile that was tugging at the sides of her lips, while thinking Al wasn’t kidding when she said it was his favorite.

“You’ve outdone yourself, babe,” he said, making his way over to Al.

He wrapped his arms around her, spun her around, and gave her a big, sloppy kiss. Al was chuckling the whole time. Then she said, ‘oh’, with a smirk as he finally put her down. Kate took that as proof that she wasn’t just hearing things, he did have a boner.

Al slapped Sean on the ass, and told him to get ready for dinner, as he turned to exit the kitchen. Kate took one look at Al, and burst out laughing as soon as he disappeared upstairs.

“What?” Questioned Al, laughing as well. “What?!”

As dinner was in its final stages, the guys were congregating in the living room. They could see the mess in the kitchen, and were starting to wonder exactly what they got themselves into.

For whatever reason, Al was treating this more like a dinner party than a meeting of the minds, something neither Seth or Richie understood. Sure they were excited to see their old friends, but that didn’t mean this wasn’t mostly business. 

“Al,” said Seth. “This isn’t a party. We just invited them here to eat about it.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” Asked Al.

“It’s something Uncle Eddie used to have us do,” said Richie.

“When you’re stuck on a job, you eat and talk about it,” said Seth. “Somehow it always works itself out that way.”

“So what?” Asked Al. “You can’t eat about it over nice food?”

“That’s not what I’m saying,” said Seth. “Just that it’s business first. Not a social call.”

“I thought you guys were happy to see them?” Asked Kate.

“We are,” said Richie. “But let’s not forget why they’re coming here in the first place. It’s about the job first, and seeing if we want to risk working together.”

“Doesn’t mean you can’t have a nice time doing it,” said Al.

“I’m not saying that,” said Richie.

“Guys,” said Sean, breaking up the circular argument that was happening. “Why don’t you let them finish up this delicious smelling meal they’re working so hard to make us, in peace. You can argue semantics later, but regardless of the reason why they’re making it, I can’t wait to eat it.”

He winked over at Kate and Al as he put his arms around Seth and Richie’s shoulders, directing them away from the kitchen. 

He’s smarter than he looks, thought Kate. He keeps complimenting Al’s cooking, and trying to keep her happy. He must have come to the same conclusion about getting laid if things go as planned, she thought. He knows her well, almost too well. Plus with his reaction to the cake earlier, Al was probably in for a surprise too, laughed Kate to herself. 

“Don’t rain on her parade,” whispered Sean between them, as they walked away. “Al loves cooking big meals, and showing off her culinary skills. A dinner party is just the way to do it.”

“But this isn’t a dinner party,” said Richie.

“Who cares if it is,” said Sean. “We’ll be eating like kings tonight. My baby’s got a great menu planned, and I plan on enjoying all of it.”

“He has a point, Richard” shrugged Seth. “Sometimes the point is also to impress the perspective partner, and this will definitely do the trick.”

They sat in the living room, quietly chatting until the guests arrived.

Jess, Paul, and Roxy showed up about twenty minutes later, just in time. Sean greeted them at the door, because Al was finishing up in the kitchen, and took their coats.

Paul flipped when he saw the brothers, just like Jess said he would. Hugs and hearty pats on the back were all around. He had so many questions for them, it had been over ten years since he last saw them. He asked about how they got away with the robbery in Abilene, and what they’ve been up to in the three years since.

“I heard you guys made away with thirty-mill in bearer bonds,” he said. “How are you not just tucked away somewhere warm, living the dream?”

“You know we can’t stay away from the game,” smirked Seth. “It’s in our blood. Putting down scores is our dream, the simple life just won’t do.”

“I guess,” he laughed. “But that’s a lot of dough. I’d have stayed in Mexico, found me a nice little villa on the beach, and been drinking fruity drinks all day long, if I were you.”

“I thought so too,” said Seth. “But I need a little excitement in my life. The thrill of the score is what I need to keep going.”

“Is that what you’re doing up here?” Asked Paul. “Getting your fill of excitement?”

“You can say that.”

“Why did you chose this place? Banks aren’t a thrill enough now?”

“It wasn’t really our choice,” chimed in Richie. 

“Dinner is served,” said Al, bringing out the appetizers, and breaking up the chit chat. 

Everyone took their seats at the table, and started eating. When Al brought out the rack of lamb a while later, and Kate followed with the sides, there were oh’s and ah’s all around. They dug in, and chatted more. But eventually the reminiscing, and idol chatter stopped, and the real business began.

Earlier in the night the group had discussed the elephant in the room, do we, or do we not mention the vampire/werewolf stuff. Seth had said they were going to put everything on the table, which would include that. But it was decided that it was best to leave that stuff out for now. The less these three knew about that world, the better. While they were dealing with a werewolf crime family, what they were doing had nothing to actually do with that aspect of things. It was a robbery and a heist as far as they were concerned, no need to blow their minds with unneeded information. So until it came to it, that would be left out, and hopefully never even brought up.

Jess started explaining all she knew about the club, and what she came to believe about the mob that ran it. Sean told them his story, well most of it anyway. All they needed to know was that he used to work there, saw something he shouldn’t have, and was brought to the middle of the woods, beat up, and left to die. This was revenge for him, and Jess, Paul, and Roxy seemed okay with his motivation. As far as they were concerned, as long as hitting them hard and taking their cash was the goal, it all worked out.

“I know they run drugs out of that club,” said Jess. “Girls too. I know Mr. Capitani spends a lot of time in that back room. I know the safe is in there, but I don’t know how much is in it, but I would imagine it’s a good amount. I’m also pretty friendly with a few of the bouncers there, so I know more than I should.”

“Good to know,” said Seth. “Sean, why don’t you enlighten our guests on some of the details of this operation.”

“Well, for starters, you’re right about the drugs and women,” said Sean. “There is a pretty decent sex tracking ring at the club, but drugs are their biggest business. They do all sorts of party drugs, LSD, Molly, meth, but mostly coke. Millions of dollars in coke go through that club weekly, and that is where we plan on hitting them. I happen to know every Thursday night Capitani receives a truck of fine, Texas beef, but hidden in those meat crates is the new shipment of cocaine.”

“There is enough cash in the safe that night to pay for the coke,” said Seth. “On top of the money he always has in there, which according to Sean is several million.”

“He is always in the club on Thursdays,” said Jess. “Always comes in around ten for the delivery. I always thought it was weird he came in to inspect of truck of beef. That also explains the extra security. Now I know why. So we’re planning on getting to the safe before the delivery?”

“Yeah,” said Richie. “But that’s not all.”

Jess gave him a questioning look.

“We’re taking that truck.”

“What?!” Asked Jess. “Are you nuts? You wanna steal a truck of cocaine form the mob?”

“No,” said Seth. “We don’t want to. We’re going to.”

“What are you gonna do with it?” She asked.

“We haven’t quite figured that part out yet,” said Richie.

“I might know some people who would be interested,” smiled Paul. “Perks of being in my business included a wide variety of clientele.” 

“You know someone who would want to buy about three-mill in cocaine stolen from the mob?” Asked Al, baffled.

“I have a short list,” he smiled.

“Well I guess that solves that,” said Seth, with a crooked smile.

“How do you plan on pulling all this off?” Asked Roxy.

“Richie has been putting together a pretty elaborate plan,” said Kate. “And I know if anyone could figure out something that would work, it would be him.”

Richie turned and looked at Kate after that last part. He couldn’t help the little smile that crossed his lips. She turned to him, grabbed his hand, and gave him a confident little grin back. 

They ironed out a few more details before calling it quits for the night. Seth declared that he thought it would work out, and the others seemed to agree. They would be working together after all. They would be working out all the kinks, like drop off locations, bait trucks, and buyers later. They had a lot of work ahead of them, but had until next Thursday to get this thing one hundred percent straight. 

Richie assured Kate again before all was said and done, that he wouldn’t make any moves unless he was sure they had everything they needed. This was also a concern for Jess, who’s six-year-old daughter, Emily, was at the forefront of her mind. She wasn’t willing to take any unnecessary risks. They had to have a foolproof plan before she felt comfortable making a move. It was agreed by all that they should play better safe than sorry here, these people were dangerous, werewolves or not.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After dinner and the dirty work was done, Jess, Paul, and Roxy stayed for dessert and a little hang out. The guys went to the game room in the basement. Since the house was a split level, it wasn’t like a real basement, but it was still on the lower level. 

Even though Sean and Alessandra had only been dating about four months, they had grown really close. Possibly because they both opened up and shared their darkest secrets with the other. Al about being a Vespertilio, and everything that happened last year with Vincenzo, and Sean about his becoming a werewolf. Their relationship was oddly strong for being so new.

About a month ago, Sean convinced her that it would be a good idea to use her basement space more efficiently by making it a game room, instead of mostly emptiness and storage. She eventually agreed since he spent most of his time here anyway, he should have a space for himself. So he let him fix it up, and he bought a ton of new stuff for it. He built a bar in the corner, which was fully stocked and even had a beer fridge. Across from it he had a pub table and chairs and an eighty inch flat screen on the wall. On the other side he set up a dart board and a pool table. Al let him put some neon lights around the bar to complete the ambiance. Hell, he even redid the half bath down there, bringing it into this century. It was his pride and joy, and she loved that something so simple made his face light up whenever he talked about it. 

Currently Sean, Seth, Richie, and Pauly were shooting pool, smoking cigars, and drinking beer after beer. Occasionally loud laughter, or fake fighting made its way up the stairs to the living area where Al, Kate, Jess, and Roxy were sitting by the fire. They were spread out on the couches, sipping wine and chatting. Just because it seemed more relaxed up here with them, it didn’t mean fits of their loud laughter didn’t make it back to the boys every once in a while too.

“Everything seems to be going really well with Sean, Al,” said Kate. “I really like him. I think he’s good for you, and you seem happy.”

“Thanks,” smiled Al. “I am. He’s great. I can’t remember the last time I was this happy.”

“How long have you guys been together?” Asked Roxy.

“I met him on Thanksgiving at one of my employee’s house, but we’ve officially been dating about four months.”

“I would have thought much longer,” said Jess. “You seem so open and comfortable together for being together only a few months.”

“In a weird way, it feels like I’ve known him much longer. Sometimes I forget just how new this thing is. Then it makes me feel like maybe I’m rushing things when I think about it, but he seems just as eager to be farther along as I do.”

“You think you’ll end up marrying him?” Asked Jess.

“Oh!” Laughed Al. “I don’t know about that. I was with my last boyfriend for years and we never even discussed that. I’m not sure marriage is my thing.”

“Well your last one must not have been the right one,” said Roxy.

“That he wasn’t,” said Al. “Although I didn’t realize it until it was over.”

“That’s just how those things work sometimes,” smiled Jess. “Hell, I married the wrong one. Try finding out after being married for five years and having a kid together. I should have known that getting married just because we found out I was pregnant was a tell tale sign it wasn’t going to work out. That and the fact that we never discussed marriage or kids until then, even though we started dating when I was eighteen.”

“When you were eighteen?” Asked Kate. “Did Seth and Richie know him too then?”

“Yeah,” said Jess. “I met him about a year after I broke up with my first boyfriend. That guy was an even bigger piece of shit. At least Rob was nice to me. Other than the cheating he did the last year of our marriage, he always treated me well. Steven, my first boyfriend, just flat out treated me like trash. I didn’t see it until it was too late, and both Seth and Richie were there for that too.”

“Oh?” Asked Kate.

“Yeah,” said Jess. “I had been dating him a few months when Paul started hanging with them. They just so happened to be present for the bitter end of that relationship.”

“I don’t know much about them when they were growing up,” said Kate. “They don’t really talk about it. All I know is that Seth played football his freshman and sophomore year. And that Richie was in the science club, and did mathletes.”

“Mathletes?” Asked Al, cracking up. “So he was an even bigger nerd that I thought. He must have been super popular with the ladies.”

“He wasn’t popular period,” said Kate. “I mean he told me he never really had any friends, but here I am talkin’ to one. I don’t know anything about you, Jess. When did you guys meet exactly? What did you do for fun? What was my Richie like in high school? Hell what were both of them like?”

“Well,” laughed Jess. “I guess I should just start from the beginning then.”

“Oh my God,” said Kate. “Please?”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the basement, Sean was pouring shots of tequila for the four of them at the bar. They clinked their glasses together in a cheers, then tossed them back together.

“So how long have you guys known each other?” Asked Paul

“We actually just met this week,” said Sean, as he poured another round. “They’re friends of Al’s, and this was the first time they’ve made it out since we started dating.”

“That reminds me,” grinned Seth. “We haven’t had any real man to man time since we got here. And as friends of Al’s, we should be looking out for her. Make sure her new man is up to snuff.”

“Bring it on,” smiled Sean.

“What are your intentions with our, little Al?”

“I intend to date her,” smirked Sean. “We’ve already talked about me moving in here with her when my lease is up in a few months.”

“You don’t think that’s too fast?” Asked Seth.

“No,” said Sean. 

“What drew you to Al in the first place?”

“Her personality. We really hit it off at my sister’s on Thanksgiving, and even though I wasn’t thinking about getting into a relationship, I just needed to see her again.”

“What makes you stay with her?”

“You’re getting a little serious with these questions, aren’t you?” Asked Sean.

Seth shrugged his shoulders, still waiting for an answer.

“Lots of things,” said Sean. “I mean let’s be real here, what’s not to love about Al? She’s possibly one of the most ridiculous people I’ve ever met, and she always speaks her mind. Both of which make for hilarious situations. She’s funny, quirky, smart, and she’s never boring. We always have fun together, and her cooking is amazing. Sexually there’s nothing lacking, our sex life is amazing. I know you two have both slept with her, so you know what I mean. She’s all about giving, and she’s good at it. Really good at it. And God is she good to me. She takes care of me, and does some pretty amazing things for me on a regular basis. I’ve never been with a woman like her before. I’ve never been in a relationship this. . . complete, I guess. Basically she’s pretty awesome, and I get to have sex with her on a regular basis. I don’t want to give that up, because I don’t think I’ll ever find that again.”

“Good answer, but you’re forgetting one thing,” smirked Seth.

“And what’s that?”

“Those amazing titties,” said Seth, with the biggest smile on his face.

“I could never forget those,” said Sean, with an equally big grin on his face.

“I’m glad she found someone who seems to appreciate them as much as they deserve to be appreciated,” smirked Seth. “Otherwise it would just be a waste.”

The guys all laughed about it, then took their second shot of tequila.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Okay,” began Jess. “Well I first met the brothers towards the end of my sophomore year. That would have made it the end of Richie’s junior year, and Seth a few months away from graduating.”

“I’m surprised he did,” laughed Al. “He doesn’t seem the type to care about school.”

“He only did what he had to, because Uncle Eddie made it very clear that he needed an education, even if it was only up until high school. He and Richie both always respected him for taking them in, so he did at least that much,” said Kate. “That much he made clear to me.”

“Right,” said Jess. “He barely made it, but he did. But anyway, I guess to teach them responsibility, and so they had spending money, Eddie made them both get jobs. He got them both jobs at The Big Kahuna Burger to start. They were there for about ten months too, before they were both fired.”

“How did they get fired?” Asked Kate. “I knew they worked there, I’ve heard them make comments and jokes about it before, but they never went into any detail.”

“I guess some guys from school said something to Richie while they were at work, which was unusual because even though he was a nerd, nobody usually messed with him. I mean I met him when he was sixteen, and he was almost the same size he is now, maybe a little thinner, and not as well built, but almost just as tall, and still pretty solid. He was quiet, but still pretty intimidating to most other sixteen-year-old boys. And while Seth was still growing into his man body, he had a reputation for starting fights, especially when it came to Richie. So most people stayed clear.”

“Nice to know some things never change,” smirked Al. “He still starts fights.”

“Yeah,” said Jess. “Well Seth didn’t start this one. While Seth started most of their fights, Richie never let him fight alone. So he wasn’t bad in a fight either. Paul told me the story, and I guess Richie, at a certain point, decided not to take any of this guys crap any more, and punched him in the nose from across the counter. The guy’s friends joined in after that, and then when Seth saw what was happening, he ran over to join too. They started an all out brawl in the middle of the restaurant. And the two of them beat the shit out of the whole group of guys. I think it was six on two, but they came out on top. But when all was said and done, they were out of a job. Eddie was pissed. Pleased that they stood up for themselves and one another, but still pissed because they lost their jobs. So he made them look for different ones. It just so happened that my dad was hiring at his auto shop. He was only looking for one part timer, but he ended up taking both. That’s when Pauly met them. He just graduated the year before, and was working with my dad to save more money for college. That’s where they learned most of what they know about cars, including hot wiring, which was Paul’s specialty.”

“I always assumed Eddie taught them that,” laughed Kate.

“Nah,” smiled Jess. “He was trying to get them to stay away from that kind of life. Not that he was any good at it. It’s all he knew, so steering them clear wasn’t easy. Plus you know how stubborn they are.”

“Yep,” said Kate. “Learned that day one.”

“Eddie ended up teaching not only them, but Paul and me a lot of what we know though, even though he advised against it. Which is how eventually our little group got into petty crime. It was mostly taking from wealthy assholes. We never robbed banks or stores. They started that after they left. But I guess Eddie always knew that they would get into that kind of life, so he wanted them to be prepared, and wanted to guide them so they didn’t become monsters. He knew what and how Ray taught them, and he didn’t want them to be like him.”

“I never got to meet Eddie,” said Kate. “He died a few years back. But I wish I could have. I only know so much about their past, but I do their father was an awful man. I owe everything to Uncle Eddie for raising them into who they are. Instead of beating away the innocence from them like their dad, he nurtured the sweetness and gentleness they had. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t know what would have happened to them, especially Richie. He looks tough on the outside, but he’s soft on the inside. Sweet, sensitive, and kind. I don’t think I could have found a better man, and I really would have liked to thank Eddie for making sure Richie never lost that part of himself.”

“I can’t believe Eddie’s dead,” said Jess. “I loved him, he was almost like an uncle to Paul and me as well. He was always so thoughtful, and kind. He really loved those boys, and he was always there for all of us,” she paused and smiled, clearly thinking of him. “And you don’t need to tell me how sweet Richie is. He was like that when I knew him too. I’m glad a life of crime never changed that.”

“We didn’t meet under the greatest circumstances, but he was always sweet to me. It was just everyone else he was an asshole to,” smiled Kate.

“I can see that,” said Jess. “I’ve seen what he’s like when he’s angry, and it’s kinda scary. He could flip on a dime too.”

“Nothing changed there either,” smirked Al. 

“Tell us more about them when you knew them,” said Kate. 

“Sure,” said Jess. “I didn’t hang out with them right away. They were Paul’s friends, not mine. I started hanging out with them that summer after I broke up with Steven. Paul hated him, thought he was trash, and wouldn’t let him around. So needless to say, I wasn’t around Paul or any of his friends as long as Steven was around. What happened to make me break up with him was also what got me hanging with the brothers,” she paused, crinkling her brows. “Like I said, Steven was an asshole. He never treated me nicely, but I stayed with him for like four months because I was a silly, sixteen-year old girl, who was dating a senior. I was a virgin at the time, and wasn’t exactly sure if I wanted to do anything besides making out just yet with Steven. He had other plans. One night while the boys were drinking out back around a bonfire, Steven and I were watching a movie in the living room. We started making out, like we always did, but this time he kept trying to push my head towards his junk. He tried forcing me to give him head, and when I wouldn’t, he got violent. He slapped me, and grabbed my wrist super tight when I tried to leave. That’s when Richie came in.”

“Oh!” Exclaimed Alessandra. “It’s that guy, huh?”

“What?” Asked Jess. “They told you about this?”

“No, it was during one of my dr. . . um yes,” she said, remembering these ladies knew nothing of their otherworldly life. She shot Kate a look as she caught herself. “Yes, Seth might have mentioned something about it once. But not in detail,” she lied. She knew it in vivid detail from Seth’s point of view. “I don’t believe Kate knows though, so please, go on. Sorry.”

“Well,” said Jess, raising her brows. “I guess Richie came inside to use the bathroom, and saw Steven grabbing me, and me crying. He ran over and pulled him off me, then punched him in the nose. He broke it actually, which that asshole totally deserved.”

“Richie did that?” Asked Kate. “My Richie?”

“Yeah,” smiled Jess. “Then he kept asking me if I was okay and if I needed anything. I remember not saying much at first, it all happened so fast. Then suddenly Steven was back up and grabbing Richie from behind. He was fighting him off as best he could while he was behind him, but they made enough noise to get Paul and Seth’s attention, who came running in. They took one look at the situation, and figured Steven did something wrong, and Richie tried to stop it, so they pulled Steven off him and dragged him outside. They beat him up pretty badly, broke a couple of his ribs, and gave him two black eyes to go with the broken nose Richie gave him. I never talked to him after that.”

“Wow,” said the up until now pretty quiet Roxy. “You never told me anything about that guy.”

“I don’t really like to talk about it,” said Jess. “And he’s not worth mentioning. But I figured Kate should know just how good of man she has at her side.”

Kate smiled at that.

“But anyway,” continued Jess. “Richie stayed in with me while the other two took care of Steven. He sat with me on the couch, making sure I was okay. He just talked to me about stupid stuff, trying to keep my mind off it. Eventually we started having a real conversation, and I noticed Steven must have gotten in at least one good shot. So I ended up getting Richie a bag of frozen peas for his eye, which was getting blacker by the second. That was when I first realized just how sweet he was. Up until then, I never really liked Richie, he was awkward, too smart and knew it, and could sometimes be very rude. Seth on the other hand, I thought was totally hot, and he was super flirty and charismatic. Him, I liked from the beginning. After that night though, we started hanging out more, and actually became really close. Richie’s awkwardness didn’t really bother me, and neither did his rudeness, when I figured out it wasn’t always coming from a bad place. He simply wasn’t good with other people, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t a nice guy. He was very standoffish with most people, and put up a wall because he was used to people treating him like crap, but underneath he was kind and really sensitive. The more comfortable he became with me, the easier it was to see, and we ended up having a lot of fun together before they left.”

“How close did you get to him?” Asked Kate, only slightly jealous. “You didn’t date him, did you?”

“No,” laughed Jess. “We never dated, but I was the first girl he ever kissed.”

“Really?” Asked a surprised Kate.

“Yeah. About a month later I kissed him. It was kind of a spontaneous thing.”

“This may be an odd question, but I’m just curious. He told me he lost his virginity right after high school, but he never told me with who. Was it you?”

“No. We never went that far. We started fooling around pretty regularly for awhile though, until Pauly walked in on us and wasn’t pleased,” she laughed. “He liked Richie, but didn’t like him messing with me. Not that he thought he would ever do anything wrong, but I was his baby sister, he didn’t like anyone laying their hands on me.”

“What exactly do you mean by fooling around?” Asked Kate.

“Well, mostly just making out. And a lot of groping,” she laughed. “I started that though. He never touched me until I told him it was okay. It was totally opposite from Steven, it took me by surprise.”

“He was like that with me too,” smiled Kate. “I’d never been with a man until Richie, and he waited until I told him I was sure. It’s not that he didn’t want it, trust me, I could tell he did. We did other things, but he always asked if I was okay with something before we did it the first time. It’s one of the things I love most about him. I never felt pressured, or like he was he was getting tired of waiting for me. He was just okay with it because he wanted me to feel comfortable.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” smiled Jess. “I have to admit that for a long time, I actually regretted that it wasn’t him. I think it would have been nice, for both of us. The most we ever did was hand stuff. I gave him his first, and my first hand job,” she laughed. “It was awkward as shit. He did me too, and it wasn’t any less awkward. Paul and Seth actually walked in when I was attempting to give him a blowjob for the first time. I barely started when I heard them walk in, it was horrible. Seth looked appalled when he saw it, but I always thought he was somewhat proud of Richie for finally getting a girl interested in his dick.”

Al burst out laughing, “I could definitely see that. Those two are certainly weird about each other.”

“Yeah, Seth was always giving him a hard time about it. He didn’t get it. He repeatedly mentioned that he lost his virginity when he was fifteen, and had no problem getting girls to go out with him. So Richie being Richie didn’t make any sense. He always brought up how they shared the same DNA, so he couldn’t understand how he had no problem getting girls, and Richie could barely even talk to them. So even though he pretended to be disgusted by the fact that Richie would do something with their best friend’s younger sister, I always suspected that was mostly for Paul’s benefit. Besides he clearly couldn’t have been that bothered by it, because he was the one I actually lost my virginity to.”

“What?!” Asked Kate. ”Seth?”

“Mmhmm,” nodded Jess. “A few months before I graduated. It was only twice, and Pauly never knew. Roxy, you can never tell him that. He’ll lose his shit.”

Roxy was chuckling now, “I won’t. I promise.”

“How did that happen?” Asked a smiling Al.

“Not sure really,” laughed Jess. “We had both been drinking, and it just kinda happened. He was very gentle, and considerate. Made sure I was okay, and that he wasn’t doing anything that was hurting me.”

“Hmmmm,” said Al. “I suppose I could see some of that, but he was never gentle with me. So that part’s baffling.”

“You were with Seth?” Asked Jess. “I didn’t know you guys dated. You seem pretty close considering. I don’t talk to any of my ex’s unless I have to.”

“We never dated,” shrugged Al. “He liked to call it friends with benefits. He was there for me after the terrible . . . break up with my ex. It really helped me get through it. I mean not that he didn’t get anything out of it too, but it did help me move on.”

“Hmmm,” said Jess.

“You don’t actually regret that it was Seth though? Do you?” Asked Kate, kind of sad for him. “He’s a really good guy too.” 

“I don’t regret that it was Seth,” said Jess. “Not at all. He was always nice to me, and it wasn’t forced or anything. It was mutual, and really good, and I was glad it was someone I was really comfortable around. And honestly he was better to lose my virginity to than most guys I knew in high school. But I think it would have been more special with Richie because of how close we were. And it would have been the first time for both of us. I always felt so bad knowing that I had such a good experience losing mine, but he didn’t. He deserved that.”

“What do you mean?” Asked Kate, suddenly concerned.

“Well he ended up losing his virginity to someone who didn’t even care about him, he was just the guy who was there at the time. I just wish he had someone special for his first time, that’s all. Someone who cared. So he knew that he was important enough for someone to want to be with him.”

“Did she hurt him?” Asked Kate.

“No,” said Jess, shaking her head. “She was actually a friend of mine at the time. She was a year younger than me, and actually the younger sister of the girl Richie had the biggest crush on. Seth told me he had a thing for her since grade school, but she was actually really awful to him. Her name was Sarah Palmer, but her sister, Mary, was the one he slept with.”

“Ah,” said Al. “The one he asked to the eighth grade dance, who said no. She sounded like a bitch. It’s ironic he slept with her sister.”

“Seth told you that too?” Asked Jess.

“Ummm, yeah, he did,” said Al, again remembering another of Seth’s memories, and that neither Jess or Roxy would understand that. 

“Weird. He really seemed to open up to you,” said Jess. “They were both always so closed off when I knew them. But anyway, we were all partying at my house that night. It was my eighteenth birthday, and we were all drinking. Mary had been dumped a week before, and her ex was also at the party, with his new girlfriend. She saw them making out, and decided to get back at him because she was hurt. For whatever reason, she thought sleeping with someone was the way to go about it, and she chose Richie. She didn’t really know him, or even like him, but he didn’t seem to mind. He was just a horny, nineteen-year-old, male, virgin. After that, Mary and I kinda had a falling out. I think partially it was because I felt she used him, and he deserved better. But he and Seth were gone only a few months after that. After they left, I ended up getting closer to Rob, who we had started hanging out with earlier that year, and eventually I married him. Then he cheated on me with his secretary, and then I divorced him. Now that he’s gone, Richie and Seth are back in my life again.”

“It’s the circle of life,” belted out Alessandra, mimicking the song. 

They all chuckled and shook their heads at that. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So,” said Paul with a grin. “Richie, why don’t you tell me how you scored a catch like Kate, when the sex guru, Seth, is still single?”

Richie smirked at that, “What can I say? I guess I just have better luck with women.”

“Bullshit!” Yelled Seth. “Kate’s the only girlfriend he’s ever had, and they started dating less than a year ago. I wouldn’t call that better luck.”

“She’s not the only girlfriend I’ve ever had, Seth,” said Richie.

“Kisa doesn’t really count, Richard. You were with her for like three months, and it sucked for both of you.”

“So what?” Barked a slightly irritated Richie. “I still dated her. Plus have you ever had a good relationship? No, you haven’t.”

“Did you forget I was married, shithead?” Asked Seth.

“How could I forget that Courtney Love reject you called a wife? She was awful, and part of the reason you ended up in jail in the first place.”

“Hey!” Yelled Seth.

“Don’t hey me,” said Richie. “She was trash, and you know it. So if we’re counting successful relationships, I’m still ahead of you.”

“Seems like you two still go at it like you did back in the day,” chuckled Paul. “It’s just like every Friday night in my parent’s basement.”

“Funny,” said Seth, giving Paul a look. “So what about you, Paul? How long have you been with Roxy?”

“Four years,” he said. “We’re getting married in August.”

“Ah,” smiled Seth. “You think you’re ready to take that plunge?”

“More than ready,” smiled Paul. “Talking about starting a family soon too.”

“Oh yeah?” Asked Seth.

“Yeah. We’re both in our thirties, so we figured we should start sooner rather than later. We’re thinking maybe two or three, so we better get crackin’ if we don’t want to be sixty at their high school graduation.” He chuckled before continuing. “This money will be a big help. Kids aren’t cheap.”

“They most certainly are not,” smirked Sean. “My sister’s got four, and it’s a struggle. Especially when they’re all under ten, so good luck to ya.” 

“You don’t want kids, Sean?” Asked Paul. 

“Not at the moment,” he chuckled. “But maybe eventually.”

“Gonna be kinda difficult if you’re still with Al,” said Richie.

Sean gave him a look. One that said shut up, because Paul was here. It also had something else in it that Seth noticed. He thought it was hurt maybe. Or perhaps realization. Like he never really thought about how he couldn’t have that perfect family life with her before. Downside to dating a vampire, he guessed.

“Why?” Asked Paul. “She doesn’t like kids? Even so, that might change later. Have you guys even talked about it?”

“We’ve only been together a few months,” smiled Sean. “It’s a little early for that conversation.”

“What about you two?” Asked Paul. “You think you and Kate will get married someday, Richie?”

“Yes” said Richie, matter of factly. “One day. I love her, and I know she wants to get married eventually.”

“Seth?” Asked Paul. “You think you’ll ever settle down?”

“I don’t know,” said Seth. “I’ve done the marriage thing, not sure if I want to do it again. But I guess if I found the right woman, I would. I mean some of them make it pretty clear that they expect it, and if you get a good one, you don’t want to lose her.”

“So it’s got nothing to do with love, huh?” Asked Paul. “Just about making sure she stays.”

“Something like that,” smirked Seth.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I know I’ve said it like a hundred times,” said Jess. “But I’m just so glad they’re alive. Seeing their faces on TV a few years back when they were on the run, hearing what happened, it was hard enough. But then seeing that they died was. . . was heartbreaking. I hadn’t heard from either of them in years, but still.”

“I was with Seth when I saw the news-feed,” said Kate. “That was one of Richie’s great ideas. And I’d have to say, it kinda worked. I don’t think anyone is looking for them any more, which makes our lives easier.”

“You knew them back then?” Asked Jess. “I thought you said you and Richie started dating last summer.”

“We did, but I’ve been with them for a few years. Remember I told you we met under bad circumstances? Well that’s because I met them the day of the heist.” 

“Really?” Asked a shocked Jess.

“Yep. They actually used my family to get across the border into Mexico.”

“And you stayed with them after that?” Asked Roxy.

“Well a lot happened that night. My dad died, and my brother left. Seth and Richie went their separate ways, and I chose to go with Seth.”

“I can’t believe they chose to be apart,” said Jess. 

“It was only kinda their choice. Like I said, a lot happened that night. I can’t explain it, but it came between them, and made us all closer at the same time. Then a lot of other awful things happened since then, but we made it through together. And that was how we stayed.”

“Wow,” said Jess. “One day you’re gonna have to tell me what happened that could separate those two.”

“Maybe I will,” smiled Kate.

The girls talked a little while longer before the guys came back upstairs. It was one in the morning, and Paul was ready to hit the hay. Roxy and Jess grabbed their stuff, and hugged everyone goodnight. Jess took extra time with each of the brothers before parting. She still couldn’t believe they were right there with them. It had been a long time since the old friends had been together, and it was difficult to part ways, even for a little bit. They would all be seeing each other over the next few days while they prepared for the job ahead of them though. So the reunion wasn’t quite over yet.


	9. Love, Sex, and Serious Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew has a little time to kill after they meet with Jess and the gang, before the real work begins.
> 
> When Kate and Alessandra inform the boys about their plan for a girl's night, Seth makes a suggestion for a guy's night. What do you know, it included strippers.

After Jess, Paul, and Roxy left for the night, the rest of the group separated for bed. Kate had finished getting ready for the night when Richie walked into the room. As he closed the door and turned around, Kate was standing at the foot of the bed.

“What’s up, Kate?” Asked Richie.

“I spent a lot of time talking to Jess tonight,” she said.

“And? Now you can see she isn’t a threat to you?” He asked with a grin.

“Would you shut up about that,” she said rolling her eyes back at him. “I was gonna say we spent a good deal of the night talkin’ about you and Seth, back from when she hung out with you two morons.”

“Oh,” he said, raising his eyebrows and smirking. “I hope she left out a few things then. Wouldn’t want you to think we were total miscreants.”

“Like that would change anything,” she smiled. “I’m sure she left out plenty of the stupid things you guys did together, but she did tell me some rather interesting information.”

“Oh yeah?” He question, walking towards her with that same smirk. “What kinds of information?”

“That she was your first kiss.”

“Does that bother you?” Asked Richie, slightly concerned because he remembered the last time she found out about someone he had been with.

“No,” said Kate. “She also told me about how Seth and Pauly walked in when she was attempting something else for the first time.”

The casual smirk he was wearing melted away, and Kate could swear she could see embarrassment on his face. Although she had never seen it on him before, so she couldn’t truly be sure.

“Relax,” she chuckled. “That doesn’t bother me either. I figured I wasn’t the only woman to ever want to put your dick in my mouth. I mean, I’ve seen it, I know how delicious it looks, and I can’t blame her. But fortunately, I know, very intimately I might add, what she missed out on.”

Richie had a very pleased look on his face that completely overtook what Kate thought of as the embarrassment from earlier. She could also tell he was now thinking of that very act, and it was turning him on. 

“What does bother me is Mary Palmer.”

And with that, the arousal left Richie’s face. He was kind of going through a roller coaster of emotions and expressions. This one was more stunned. Kind of like a combination of confusion, shock, uncertainty, and fear. Not that he thought he had done anything wrong, but because he was well aware of Kate’s issues with him and previous lovers.

“What about her bothers you?” He asked. “You knew I had to have lost my virginity to someone. It was over ten years ago, and it’s not like she meant anything, Kate.”

“I know, and that’s what bothers me. I was hoping that it was someone you cared about, and who cared about you. She just used you, and that makes me sad.”

“Why? It never bothered me. I think you’re thinking too much into it, Kate. I just wanted to get laid, and she was willing, so it made no difference to me.”

“I know we think about it differently, but, I don’t know. I waited until I found the right person, and it was perfect. I guess I was just hoping that maybe you had a similar experience. You deserve better than to just be used by someone just trying to get back at her ex.”

“If I waited for the right person, it would have been you,” he smiled. “No other woman could have made the cut. And if I had waited until then, I wouldn’t have had much to offer you in terms of enjoyment either. I wouldn’t know what I know now, I wouldn’t have the experience and skills I’ve learned, and then I wouldn’t have been able to give you your perfect first time. And I much rather would have wasted my inexperience on someone like her, so I could give you the first time you deserved. One were you were satisfied, and loved, and never something you would regret.” 

“Richie,” said Kate, smiling, closing the distance between them, and wrapping her arms around him. “It was perfect because it was with you. I never would have regretted being with you no matter how inexperienced you were. I love you, and that’s what made it perfect. That’s why it still is always perfect.”

“I know, but I like the fact that you get to enjoy it. It makes me feel better knowing that I’m giving you the best I’ve got every time. She didn’t get that from me, Kate. Not even close. She got an anxious, and awkward quickie from a teen aged novice, who knew nothing about what he was doing. I doubt she got anything out of it at all, and I never wanted that for you. No other woman compares to you, Kate. No other woman has ever, or will ever mean as much to me as you do. So despite the fact that my first time wasn’t perfect, and that she didn’t care at all that it was me, there was something good that came out of all of it. All the other women, and awkward experiences before you, gave me a chance to practice and perfect my skills, so I could be better for you, the woman that I would die to please. And who cares what anyone else before you was like? Now I have the perfect woman, the right one, the one I’ve been waiting for my whole life, and suddenly nothing else even matters. I would take a lifetime of unhappy to spend just one night with you, and it would all be worth it. I’m happy now, Kate. Happier than I ever thought I could be.”

“I love you, Richie” she said, smiling up at him and giving him a soft kiss. “Just out of curiosity though, you said all of the other women. What are we talking about? You’re not secretly as bad as Seth are you?”

“No,” laughed Richie. “There is no way you could even believe that. You’ve seen me around women, or people in general.”

“I have,” she giggled. “And I still fell for you, so it’s very possible that someone else would too, Richie.”

“I’m afraid not, Kate. I still don’t even understand how I got you in the first place.”

“That’s because you don’t see what I see. If you did, you would understand why I still find other women a threat when they look at you. But don’t think you’ve distracted me enough to not have to answer my question. So what are we talking about, huh?”

“No woman is a threat to you, Kate. I don’t want anyone else. And at this point you know almost all of them. There was only one other woman, her name was Christina.”

“And who was she?”

“She was like a groupie of the Sharks. You know that crew Seth and I used to run with for awhile.”

“What do you mean by groupie?”

“She kinda slept around with like half the crew, so it’s not like I was special.”

“Ewww. Really? Richie, you could have caught something.”

“But I didn’t,” he chuckled. “And it was only a couple of times, and we always used protection. I was the one who always insisted that I wear a condom every time, even though she was on the pill. I was horny, not stupid.”

“Richard,” laughed Kate. “Sometimes I forget that no matter how much of a genius you are, you’re still just a man under it all.”

“Guilty,” he chuckled, then leaned down to kiss Kate. “And this man has needs, Katie-Cakes.”

“Oh, don’t I know,” giggled Kate. “It’s weird that you always insisted on wearing a condom though, because you’ve never worn a one with me, not even the first time.”

“Why would I?” He asked. “I’m not human anymore, Kate. There’s no need. But to be honest, even if I was, I’m not sure I always would with you.”

“Why not?”

“Because I love you. And what it’s meant to prevent, I wouldn’t mind happening with you.”

And there it was, a simple confession on his part. He didn’t say the words, but Kate knew what he meant. She loved him too, and had often thought about the same thing.

She kissed Richie one more time, a passionate, and tender kiss. When she pulled away, she smiled up at him, looking into his beautiful, blue eyes. She loved those eyes. They were so warm and loving, and she could swear that there was a glimmer in them that was just for her. A bright twinkling that showed just how much she meant to him, every time she gazed into them.

“You know,” she said. “Jess told me something else that was rather interesting about you.”

“And what was that?”

“She told me a story that proved you have always been such a sweet, sweet boy, Richie. She told me how you came to her rescue when her first boyfriend got handzy. That you defended her, someone you barely even knew, and then proceeded to make her try to forget about it by talking about whatever you could to distract her. I knew under that hard, criminal shell you were always a good boy, and this just proved it.”

“Oh really?” Asked Richie. “She told you about that, huh?”

“Mmhmm. And it only makes me love you even more,” she gave his lips a quick peck. “Knowing that my boyfriend has always been a nice guy and all, even if he tries to hide it.”

“And here I was thinking you liked dating me because of my bad boy image.”

“Nope,” she giggled. “You can’t fool me, Richard Gecko. I see right through that hard, bad boy exterior, to your sweet, soft center. And I like what I see there.”

“I don’t know how I feel about being the good guy, Kate. I’ve always been the bad guy in the story.”

“Clearly not always. You were her hero that night, and you saved the world twice. So I guess you’re not as bad as you think.”

“I might have to change that,” he smirked.

“Don’t,” said Kate, playfully slapping his shoulder. “I like my sweet, sweet boyfriend just the way he is.” She paused and gave Richie a smirk. “And you know what good, sweet, little boys deserve, Richie?”

“What’s that, Katie?” He asked with a smirk.

Kate had her arms around Richie’s neck still, but they slowly started drifting down his chest. She gave his lips a quick lick, as her fingers found his belt. She undid it, followed by the button on his pants. She unzipped him with a devious, little smile. 

Richie looked down as Kate’s hand disappeared into his slacks. He grunted and leaned his head back as her fingers eased around his stiffening length. She pulled him out, and stroked him to full mast.

“Good boys deserve to be rewarded,” said Kate, dropping to her knees in front of him. “Especially when they’re as sweet as you.”

She kissed his tip, letting her tongue snake out and circle it gently. 

Richie shuddered with pleasure as Kate's lips parted, taking him in. She bobbed up and down slowly, before pulling away to lick him up and down. 

Kate flicked her tongue over that special spot quickly and repeatedly, enticing a low moan from Richie. She kissed his tip again, then kissed her way down his shaft until she arrived at his sensitive balls. She gave them gentle kisses too, giving them slight, little nibbles, before licking her way back up, and circling his tip.

This is when Kate decided to do something a little different. She let go of him completely, and Richie gave her a bewildered look. She smiled back up at him from her knees, giggling at his confusion, and pulled her top over her head. Then she unhooked her bra, letting it slide from her.

She rubbed her breasts between her hands, squeezing them and biting her lip, while looking him in the eyes.

“How do you like the view, Daddy?” She asked with a naughty, little smile.

“You’ve never called me Daddy before,” he breathed. “But Daddy likes it.”

“Mmmmm,” she moaned. “I thought you would.”

She went back to bobbing up and down him again, faster this time. His hand found its way to her, tucking her hair behind her ears, giving him a better view. Then he put it to the back of her head. He wasn’t pushing, or being forceful, he was just weaving his fingers gently through her hair, as she moved up and down his solid cock.

“Oh, fuck, Kate,” he breathed. “Ahhh, yeah.”

Kate alternated between licking, kissing, stroking, and sucking him. All the while making sure to look up into his eyes as often as possible. She liked teasing him, and making it last as long as possible. She knew not every woman could possibly understand, but this was always just as enjoyable to her as it was to him. She may not be the one to cum at the end, but it always got her soaking wet. She loved the feel of him, the sounds and faces he made, and definitely the taste of him. Sometimes making Richie cum, and watching him, was even better than cumming herself. Especially when she teased him like this, because he came a ton when she did, and she most certainly liked watching it pour from him over and over.

Richie’s hips started making gentle thrusts. Kate had been with him, and doing this long enough, to know that meant he was getting close. He always started losing some control of his body the closer he came to cumming. She liked knowing that it felt so good to him that he just couldn’t even help himself. 

She smiled as she pulled her mouth from around him, making a pop noise as she did. She stroked him tip to base with a steady speed, and licked his tip like a lollipop. 

“Is my good boy gonna cum for me?” She asked.

“Ohhh, yeah,” he panted. “So fucking close, baby.”

Kate took Richie’s balls in her free hand. She massaged them as she continued stroking him with her other hand. She licked his tip, and flicked her tongue over that spot, as he edged closer.

“Fuuuuuck,” he moaned. “Ahhhhh. I’m gonna cum, baby.”

“Cum for me, Daddy,” she breathed. “I want to watch you cum all over me, Richie.”

Richie started moaning, and really working his hips. Kate pumped him faster, and within seconds he groaned a loud ‘fuck’, which was followed by a huge spurt of hot cum. It landed on Kate’s chest, glazing her tits. The second and third ones did the same. 

Kate caught the next one in her open mouth, and on her lips and chin, licking it and swallowing, as Richie continued moaning. Then she aimed him back at her tits, as cum continued streaming from him. A few more spurts and he started dribbling on her tits. 

That’s when Kate put him back in her mouth, so she could suck him dry. She licked up his shaft, catching all she could. After she removed him from her mouth again, she looked down at herself, and saw the thick coating of creamy liquid covering her breasts, and it made her smile. She ran her finger through some of it, and brought it to her mouth.

“Mmmmm,” she moaned around her finger. Then she smiled up at him, giggling, “Jeez, Richie. I’ve seen you cum a lot before, but I think that’s a record even for you.”

“What can I say,” he chuckled. “You really know how to get me going. God damn you look sexy as fuck, right now, Kate.”

“Yeah?” She asked with a sexy pout. “You like seeing me covered in your cum, baby? I know I do.”

“Fuck yeah, I do,” he smirked.

“You got your phone on you?”

“Ummm, yeah. Why?”

“Take a picture. I wanna see what you see.”

Richie’s mouth dropped open, “What?”

“Take a picture for me. Please, Daddy,” she begged.

Richie fumbled in his pocket for his phone. He got it ready, but before he snapped away, he asked, “You sure about this, Kate?”

“I asked, didn’t I?” She chuckled. “So yeah, Richie. I’m sure, baby.”

“Okay,” he breathed, all wide eyed, shrugging his shoulders. 

He snapped a few pictures of Kate, then she started posing for him. She smashed her tits together, and gave him sex eyes and a pout. She ran her finger through some more of the sticky liquid, and sucked it off her finger. She put the tip of his still hard cock in her mouth, and her hand around his shaft. All the while, Richie kept snapping away, with a devilish looking grin on his face.

“Fuck, Kate,” he said licking his lips. “You’re so fuckin’ sexy, baby.”

“And you’re still fuckin’ hard, baby,” said Kate, biting her lip. “How can you possibly still have anything left after that?”

“I don’t know,” he chuckled, putting his phone away. “But I still want you, Katie. I may be out of juice, but that doesn’t mean I can’t make you cum.”

“Then make me,” she teased. 

Kate got off her knees, and stepped out of her pj bottoms. She laid on the edge of the bed, and spread her legs open for him. Richie groaned at the sight, giving her a sex crazed look.

“Come and get it. . . Daddy,” she said, using her new pet name for him, that he seemed to like.

Richie pounced at her, shoving himself home. Kate moaned and whimpered as he started pumping furiously into her. 

“Oooohhhhh, fuck, Richie,” she panted. “Mmmmmm, you feeeeeel so fucking good, baby.”

“You like that, Katie?” He panted. “Am I still your good, sweet, little boy now? When I fuck you like this?”

“Mmmmm,” moaned Kate. “No. Now you’re my big, bad, dirty, boy. And I fuckin’ like it. Fuck me harder, baby. Make me cum.”

Richie, who had his hands around Kate’s calves, keeping them far apart, now pinned her legs nearly to the bed, getting a deeper angle. This made Kate gasp, and whine, which gave him the chills. He literally shuddered as he gave Kate the dirtiest smile she ever saw, looking her directly in the eyes. 

Richie worked her, hard and fast. His thrusts were deep and precise, and they were driving Kate wild. She was whimpering his name, and before long her body began to convulse with pure pleasure.

Kate called his name repeatedly, the only real word she could form. He slowed his pace as she calmed down. Aftershocks were still rippling through Kate’s body, and he stopped completely.

“Mmmmmm, Richie,” moaned Kate. “That was amazing, baby.”

Richie gave her a mischievous smile, “I’m done with you yet, little miss Katie.”

“Oh yeah,” she smirked.

“Not by a long shot,” he smirked back.

Richie closed Kate’s legs together towards one side, making a real tight home for himself. Then he started pumping away again, and Kate was already moaning.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was now Sunday, and with few days to spare before they started the real work for the job, Kate and Alessandra decided they would have a girls day out. Then they were going to have a girls night in, so they guys had to get out. 

When they informed the guys about that, Seth said, “Fine, we’ll just have a guys night then. Sean you know any good strip clubs around here? I haven’t been to one in awhile. Kate has my brother so whipped, he won’t so much as dare enter a strip club parking lot without her approval.”

“I’m not whipped, Seth,” said an instantly annoyed Richie.

“Richard,” said Seth, with a smirk. “Why do you keep denying it? We all know you are.”

“No, I just respect my girlfriend, and she doesn’t like it.”

“So that means you can’t then?”

“Why does it always have to be strip clubs with you, Seth?” Asked Kate.

“Because I am a man, Kate. And I like beer, liquor, and boobs.”

“And that’s it?” She asked, all snarky.

“Yes,” he said, all proud of himself. “That’s it.”

“Whatever,” said Kate, rolling her eyes. “Richie if you want to go, just go. Since obviously your brother has no other ideas for fun.”

“You sure?” Asked Richie, as Seth made the whip gesture beside him while looking at Sean.

“Yeah, baby,” said Kate, giving Seth a dirty look as she wrapped her arms around Richie’s neck. “Go have fun.”

She gave him a soft kiss, and toyed with his hair. To some in the room, it seemed a simple reminder to Richie to be good, and remember who he was coming home to. Kate would never admit it was any such thing.

“Sean,” said Al. “Do you want to go to a strip club as well?”

“Sure. If you’re okay with it? I haven’t been to one in awhile.”

“That’s fine,” she said. “Doesn’t bother me.” She paused and gave him a smirk. “Just remember whose bed you sleep in.”

“How could I forget that,” he smiled.

“Just don’t come back covered in glitter, or you better shower before you get in bed with me. I hate that shit, it gets everywhere.” 

Sean laughed as he wrapped his arms around Al’s waist, “That’s the only problem you have with this? The glitter?”

“Well it certainly isn’t the boobs,” chuckled Al. “Mine are bigger than most of theirs, and are one-hundred percent real. I let you play with them all the time, and most of what they can do, I can, and have done for you. The only difference is I’ll suck you off after, and they won’t. Plus I don’t make you put money in my underwear to win my attention, I just give it. So I’m pretty sure I have them beat.”

“Plus she makes you some fan-fucking-tastic looking lunches the morning after,” laughed Seth. “And Kate, you do the same for Richie, minus the lunch thing. So what are you worried about?”

“I’m not worried about anything,” she said. “I just don’t understand it.”

“Maybe one day Richie will dance for you,” smirked Al. “Like Magic Mike shit, and then you’ll get it.” She paused and tilted her head to the side. “That just gave me the best idea.”

“Great,” said Seth, shaking his head. Then he turned to Sean, “Sorry, bro.”

“Oh no,” said Al, with a dangerously evil grin. “It’s so much more than that.”

“Do I even want to know?” Asked Seth.

“Let’s just say I have a special request for next Valentine’s Day, and all of us are included.”

“Hmmmm,” said Sean, wiggling his eyebrows. “Enticing.”

“You down, big boy?” Asked Al.

“I just might be,” he smiled back.

“I’m pretty sure it’s things like that, that made me fall in love with you.”

“Well this has taken a weird turn,” said Kate. “You guys do what you want today, Al and I are getting some lunch, and hitting the spa. But after dinner, you guys need to be out of here. Go enjoy your strip club, as long as you’re not here when we get back.”

She gave Richie another kiss, then hugged Seth before she headed out. Al kissed Sean, then hugged both Seth and Richie. Richie mainly just because she knew he was uncomfortable with it. She liked watching him squirm.

Then the girls headed out for their girls day. Al had a nice, little place picked out for lunch in the city. So they hopped in her Maserati, Kate at the wheel, and headed down town.

After they finished with lunch, Kate and Al made their way to a spa for facials, and massages. Neither had gotten either of those since they went together last summer, and felt like they needed them.

“I’m so glad you suggested this massage,” said Kate. “My back is all sorts of sore.”

“From what?” Laughed Al. “Lifting pots and pans for the first time?”

“Real funny,” smirked Kate. “No.”

“Then what?”

“Richie.”

“Richie?”

“He was rougher than normal last night, and he lasted like all night. I’m sore all over.”

“Wow,” laughed Al. “That was unexpected, although I’m learning this is your new normal. Did you tell him he was being too rough with you?”

“No. I asked him to be.”

“You asked him to be?” Asked an astonished Al.

“Yeah,” shrugged Kate. “Sometimes I like when he’s romantic and gentle, whispering how much he loves me, and giving me little kisses. Sometimes I like when he’s being playful and goofy, tickling and teasing me. And sometimes I like when he’s rough and aggressive, saying the dirtiest things as he fucks me.”

“Huh,” said Al. “Those are words I never thought would leave your mouth. But again, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.”

Kate laughed, “Nope, I guess not. Wanna know something else surprising about last night?”

“Sure.”

“He made me cum like five times. I’m shocked I can even walk today.”

“Jesus, Kate. Are you kidding me?”

“No, Al. I’m not. And Seth didn’t say anything this time, which is shocking.”

“Maybe he thought you were just fucking with him after the fourth time,” laughed Al. “‘Cause that shit ain’t normal.”

“That was after I did him, too. He usually lasts longer the second time, but I’ve never seen anything like that from him. I mean, I’ve never seen him cum that much either, and then he just stayed hard and was ready to go a few minutes later. He was amazing last night.”

“Sounds like it,” chuckled Al. “Fuck walking, how are you standing?”

“I don’t know,” giggled Kate. “Pure will power?”

“You sure you still want to get that facial? Because it sounds like you already got one last night.”

“Al!” Laughed Kate.

They walked into the Spa a few minutes later, and continued with their girls day.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the spa, Kate wanted to do something the guys wouldn’t want to do, like go to a museum. Well, by guys, she meant mostly Seth. Richie actually liked some museums, and Kate had a feeling he would have really liked the Museum of Science and Industry, or the planetarium. He also actually loved animals, so she figured he wouldn’t mind going to the zoo either, well minus the sun. 

Richie took Kate to the Texas State Aquarium once because he knew how much she liked fish. They had such a good time, he even took her back for a romantic, Valentine’s dinner this year. Kate loved watching the fish and sharks swim around them while they ate. They even got there a couple hours early so they could walk around the place and look at the exhibits. That’s when Kate learned Richie’s favorite sea creature was the sea turtle, and of course he gave her way more information on them then the signs at the aquarium did, which she thought was just plain adorable. She thought the whole day was actually the perfect way to spend their first Valentine’s day together, and wouldn’t have changed a thing about it. It wasn’t super fancy, it was fun, and that’s what she liked about it.

That being said, Kate asked Al to take her to the Shedd Aquarium for their girl’s day. Kate really liked looking at the huge tanks filled with exotic fish. Hell, that’s part of the reason they had such a huge tank in the office back home. Al thought it was a great idea, so there they went.

There they watched the dolphin show, saw the jellyfish exhibit, and walked around until they closed. Kate made a special effort to visit the Caribbean Reef exhibit, so she could get a picture with the resident sea turtle. She stopped in one of the gift shops on the way out to get Richie a sea turtle key-ring, which she knew he would love. She thought about getting him a t-shirt or a stuffed animal, but knew Seth would make fun of him relentlessly if he saw it, so she decided against it.

After the aquarium, Kate and Al headed to a nice, little, Italian restaurant for dinner, then headed back to Al’s for dessert and a chick flick. Al got them a tub of Blue Moon ice cream, one of her favorites, and they picked a RomCom off of Netflix to watch as they ate it.

The guys were long gone when they got back. Sean had texted Al letting her know that he took them to dinner, then to a speakeasy called The Drifter, before they made their way to Seth’s favorite place, a strip club. 

“Sounds like they should have a real fun night,” laughed Al. “I’m sure they’ll be home late.”

“That means we have the place to ourselves all night,” smiled Kate.

Alessandra had the fire going again during the movie. After the first one was over, Al made them root-beer floats, stating that is simply wasn’t a girl’s night if they didn’t overdo the desserts. Kate agreed.

As they were choosing a new movie, Kate asked Al about something she was really wondering about.

“Al, I remember you saying you had only a few things with you before you died, and some of those things were family portraits. Do you still have them?”

“Yeah,” she smiled. “I have a whole photo album of old pictures. I used to make Vincenzo get his portrait done with me every five years or so. He hated it, but humored me. It wasn’t that often really, so it wasn’t that bad.”

“I would love to see it,” said Kate. “If you don’t mind.”

“Sure, why not. Let me go get it.”

Al came back downstairs with a large, leather-bound book, and sat next to Kate. She handed her the photo album, and Kate immediately started flipping through. The first picture in the album was really old. It was a family portrait. There was a curly, dark haired man with a mustache, wearing a suit with a high collared shirt, sitting in a chair to one side, and a dark haired woman with a high collared, Victorian dress, sitting in a chair on the other side. There were four kids between them.

“Oh my God,” shrieked Kate. “Is this your family?”

“Yeah. My father had us all take a family portrait in 1900 as a gift for my mother’s thirty-fifth birthday. The last one we had was from almost six years prior, when my sister was only a few months old.”

“Is that you?” Asked Kate, pointing to the older girl standing in the middle of the two boys.

“You bet,” chuckled Al. “I was eleven in this photo. The boy to my left is my older brother, Enzo, he was thirteen. The boy to my right is my younger brother, Luca, he was ten. And the little girl sitting in front of us is my little sister, Lucia, she was about six.”

“You were so cute!” Giggled Kate. “In your little, white dress, and your fancy hair.”

“That was my Sunday best,” smirked Al. “That’s the only picture I have of my family. It means more to me than you could possibly know.”

Kate flipped the page, and was absolutely stunned by the next picture she saw. There was a man in a tux with a white flower pinned to his lapel, sitting in an elegant chair, and next to him was a young Al. She was standing, resting her one arm along the back of the chair, her other was posed on the arm of the chair, holding a bouquet of flowers. She was wearing a beautiful, white, wedding gown, with long, flowy sleeves, a high collar, and a long veil that flowed to her feet. 

“I think that’s a little obvious,” smiled Al. “That’s me and my husband on our wedding day in May 1908. Believe it or not, I was just nineteen when that was taken. That’s the last picture I have of myself when I was still human.”

“You look beautiful, Al,” beamed Kate.

Al shrugged and mumbled something under her breath.

Kate turned the page again, and she immediately recognized the man standing next to Alessandra in this one. It was Vincenzo. Al was wearing a simple, white dress, that cut off just below the knees. Vincenzo was wearing high waisted, light slacks, and a loose fitting white shirt with the top button open, and the sleeves rolled up. He had his arm around her waist, and what little hair he had was slicked back. Al had a cute bob. 

“When was this?” Asked Kate.

“Ummm, 1927. That was when we were still in Italy. It was taken in Naples.”

Kate flipped through the next few pages which contained their portraits from the 1930’s through the 1950’s. Then she found some candid shots. There was one of Al and Vincenzo leaning against his green Cadillac. He was still wearing light gray dress slacks, but this time only had on a white t-shirt. Al was wearing red and white striped, high waisted shorts, and a loose fitting white shirt. Al explained that was taken in 1955 when they took a road trip to California.

Another picture was at their place when they were hosting a BBQ in 1958, Al was wearing a flowery dress in that one. There were dozens of pictures of them with friends, or alone in front of landmarks during the fifties and sixties. Then there was a great picture of Al smoking a joint next to a clearly unimpressed Vincenzo, in the late sixties, which had Kate laughing. 

Kate followed the timeline of photos from Al’s feathery, Jane Fonda hair in the seventies, to them at a roller disco, when Vincenzo was wearing a white, leisure suit. She saw the immense amount of hairspray, black leather, and acid washed jeans that Al had going on in the eighties and early nineties. All the way up to more recent photos taken within the last few years.

“You gonna do the same thing with Sean?” Asked Kate. “Get a portrait done every so often?”

“Maybe,” chuckled Al. “I think he’d actually be into it though. One night, when we were at his place, he showed me tons of pics from when he was a kid. All his yearbook photos, and little league pictures. He was a cute, little kid. Which isn’t so shocking, I guess, when you see how fucking cute he is now.”

“I don’t know if cute is the word I would use to describe him,” smirked Kate. “More like smokin’ hot.”

“Wow,” grinned Al. “Thanks. I happen to think so too. But his personality is more cute than sexy, which I happen to like better anyway. He’s kinda like Richie in that way. Super good looking, can be sexy as shit, but so dorky and adorable at times. I’d take that over super sexy and smooth any day, sorry James Bond.”

Kate giggled at that, “It’s more fun that way.”

“Bingo,” laughed Al.

The chatted away, making jokes, and poking fun at the guys. They still hadn’t gotten around to picking another movie. The conversation slowly turned from fun and entertaining to more serious, when Kate asked Al for some clarification.

“This might be a dumb question,” she said. “But isn’t it kinda dangerous for you to be with a werewolf?”

“Why would you think that?”

“Well Richie almost died last year when one bit him. And you passed out by just drinking some of Seth's blood. Isn’t their spit like highly toxic to you guys?”

“Well, yeah, but only in wolf form,” said Al. “When he’s in his human form, he doesn’t produce venom. Kinda like how if was to lick you now, you wouldn’t go numb. And I’m sure Richie has given you a nibble or two, and nothing has ever happened. Venom is only produced by either Culebras or Vespertilio when our fangs descend, and if we choose to do so. It’s similar with werewolves, except it’s not a choice for them, the venom is just part of their saliva. So Sean would only be dangerous to me if he was trying to kill me, which I hope is never the case. At the moment, he’s just as harmless to me as Richie is to you.”

“Well that clears that up,” laughed Kate. “I wasn’t sure how that worked, and didn’t want to find out you had some sort of unfortunate accident when he got a little to rough in the bedroom or something.” She paused. “I never really asked, but is your venom dangerous to him?”

“Mmhmm, and so is Culebra venom. But not nearly as bad as theirs is to us. It’s also like that between Culebras and Vespertilio. If Richie and I got into some sort of biting match, we would be toxic to each other, but it wouldn’t kill the other one. Usually it causes some sort of temporary paralysis, but nothing more. Not sure why werewolf venom is so much more toxic really.”

“I don’t really know much about werewolves, I guess. Just stuff from movies. Are they even accurate?”

“Sometimes,” said Al. “It’s just like vampires. They get some stuff right, but a lot of it is bullshit. Neither Richie or myself will burn if a cross touches us, and I happen to love garlic. I use it all the time.”

“Do they turn at the full moon?” Asked Kate.

“Yes and no,” said Al. “Sean says he can feel the pull a few days before and a few days after. He gets agitated, and restless unless he shifts. But it doesn’t just happen on it’s own, like they show you in the movies. He has to make the decision to change himself. Obviously, from what you have already seen, they can change whenever they want, full moon or not, but the pull of the full moon for some reason kinda forces their hand.”

“Do they forget what they’ve done after the change back?”

“No.”

“Can you kill them with silver bullets?”

“Nope. Vampires have no issue with silver either.”

“You guys have to drink blood to survive, but clearly can eat other food too. Does he need to eat anything special to stay alive?”

“No. Although he says he often eats animals he hunts as a wolf. So he can eat raw meat with no problem. Although he doesn’t as a human.”

“Does he have any heightened senses or super powers?

“No super powers, but he has wolf like hearing and smell, and has fantastic night vision. He’s also just as strong as either Richie or myself, and heals about as fast as we do too.”

“You said they live longer, right?”

“That is true, they do. They age about half as slowly as regular humans. So the ones that are born that way live well into their hundreds, and the ones who were turned just age slower after the transformation.”

“So what does that mean for Sean?”

“Well, the average human lives to be somewhere in their seventies nowadays, and since Sean was turned in his late twenties, that would mean he could have somewhere between ninety to over a hundred years before he dies of old age. That being said, he would still only look and feel like someone in their seventies or eighties a hundred years from now.”

“Isn’t that gonna be weird if you guys are still together?” Asked Kate. “You’ll still look the same, but he’ll just keep getting older.”

“Same with you and Richie,” said Al. “Or have you not really thought about that part?”

“To be honest, most of the time I forget about that,” admitted Kate. “It’s just difficult to comprehend, you know?”

“I suppose.”

“He thinks about it though,” said Kate. “He’s brought it up a few times. The worst was when we just started dating. It was just after Seth was shot with that venom bullet. He came home from feeding, and was freaking out about losing him. He kept saying one day Seth was going to die, and there was nothing he could do about it. Then one day I would die, and he couldn’t stop that either. Then he said he would be all alone, and it broke my heart. I don’t wanna think about him like that, all alone. I love him so much, and I don’t even wanna think about how much it would hurt to lose him. But he has no choice. Everyone he loves will eventually die, but he’ll still be alive and alone. My heart literally breaks for him when I think about it.”

“It’s possibly the worst thing about being a vampire,” said Al. “You outlive everyone you’ve ever loved. Honestly it’s why most of us stay away from relationships with humans. There’s too much pain involved. He’ll just have to go through it like all the rest of us. Although, there is one cure for that you know. The ones we love becoming vampires too. Then he wouldn’t have to be alone, Kate.”

“I know,” whispered Kate. 

“Do you think that that’s something you’ll eventually do?”

“I don’t know,” said Kate, shaking her head and shrugging her shoulders. “I don’t want to be a Culebra. It’s not that I have anything against them, but it’s just not for me. But I also don’t want to do that do him, leave him alone like that.”

“Well it’s a choice you’ll eventually have to make. It’s not a life for everyone, but you have time to make that decision. And it can only be your decision, nobody should make that for you. I know Richie loves you enough to want to spend eternity with you, but he also loves you enough to respect your wishes. He’ll be okay with whatever you decide, so don’t make your choice about him. Make it about you.”

“I know he will,” smiled Kate. “What about Sean? Do you think he’d make that choice to stay with you?”

“It doesn’t really matter what he would choose,” sighed Al. “He doesn’t have that option.”

“What do you mean?”

“No matter what the movies tell you, you cannot be both werewolf and vampire. There’s no such thing as a hybrid between the two. They negate each other in the real world. You are one or the other, and that cannot be changed. So even if he wanted to spend eternity with me, he can’t.”

“Oh my God, Al,” cried Kate. “That’s horrible. And you’re gonna stay with him regardless?”

“We love who we love, Kate. I’m just hoping to get to spend a long, happy life with him while I can.”

The room became awkwardly silent. Al had nothing else to say on the subject, and Kate didn’t know what to say. So Kate grabbed the remote, and put on the next movie. She selected a comedy to try to lighten the mood she unintentionally created. But about twenty minutes into it, another thought occurred to her.

“Can I ask you one more thing?” She asked.

“Of course,” nodded Al.

“Do you still have Seth memory dreams, or is that over with? He won’t tell me.”

“Ha,” laughed Al. “Sometimes, but they’ve faded over time. I’ve been having more recently. Like when I was back by you guys for the holidays, and pretty much since you guys got here. I’m beginning to think it has at least something to do with our proximity to one another.”

“Any dirty ones?” Smirked Kate.

“I mean, come on,” chuckled Al. “It’s Seth we’re talking about. Let’s be realistic here.”


	10. Old Tricks, New Mark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the final days before the big heist, time to get some planning done.
> 
> Tidbit: They went over camera locations, and bouncer counts. They discussed exit routes, and execution. It was decided that they needed a better look at the alleyway so they could see what they were working with down there. It was also decided that they needed to go back to the club tomorrow night to get all the final details, including what kind of safe Richie would be working with. And then it was all about timing.

It’s Monday night, and Al, yet again invited Jess and the gang over to discuss the job at hand. She ordered a couple of deep dish pizzas form the place Seth liked, so they could refuel while setting up the plan. They were all currently sitting around her dining table discussing all the little details.

“First and foremost,” said Seth. “We need that decoy truck.”

“And a drop location,” added Richie.

“Without those, this plan is shit,” said Seth.

“Craigslist?” Asked Al. “There’s gotta be someone selling an eighteen foot, refrigerated, box truck on there.”

“It’s a good place to start,” said Seth.

“I should be able to get us a warehouse,” said Paul. “I know some guys, could pull a few strings. Should be able to do a short term rental. All cash, of course.”

“By tomorrow?” Asked Richie.

“I don’t think it’ll be an issue,” he said. “I should be able to get one by the afternoon. Tomorrow night at the latest.”

“I can find out the name of the company that we get the meat from tomorrow,” said Jess. “I work tomorrow night, and I’m pretty friendly with some of the kitchen staff.”

“How friendly?” Asked Seth, with a suspicious look.

“Friendly enough to get the info we need, but not much else. Why?”

“Just curious.”

“I’ll also double check the bouncer schedule for Thursday,” she added. “We have some that are more lazy than others, who might not keep the best eye on the place. I would think it would be easier to sneak around if one of those guys were working.”

“At the very least,” said Seth. “It would be nice to know what we’re working with.”

“I need to get a look at that safe,” said Richie. “So I know what kind of equipment I need, and how much time I’ll need.”

“I can’t get you in the room, but I may be able to get you a peek inside,” said Jess. “How much time do you need?”

“I just need a look at it, so as long as I can see it, It’ll be able to get what I need.”

They started talking about the small details of the job. Who was going to be where, and who would be doing what. They were going to be in three teams, a safe team, a truck team, and a decoy team. Each had its own responsibilities, and everyone would need to play their part. 

They went over camera locations, and bouncer counts. They discussed exit routes, and execution. It was decided that they needed a better look at the alleyway so they could see what they were working with down there. It was also decided that they needed to go back to the club tomorrow night to get all the final details, including what kind of safe Richie would be working with. And then it was all about timing.

“If we’re talking about timing,” said Sean. “Then there’s something you need to know. The money for the deal gets there only slightly before Carlo himself. His head of security, Mikey D., brings the money in two briefcases only about thirty to sixty minutes before the boss gets there. Carlo, himself, would never be caught with that much money on him. And Mike always brings someone with him to watch the door as he puts the money away. It used to be me.”

“That’s true,” said Jess. “I see him come in between nine and nine-thirty every Thursday. Some of the other waitresses told me not to mess with him. He has a bad rep for being rude, and even beating on his girlfriends. I stay clear, but I do see this young guy with him when he comes in, Jimmy something. He’s always standing by the door when he’s in there.”

“The best time to get in there would be after Mike leaves the room, and before Carlo gets there, so nobody even notices,” said Sean.

“That doesn’t leave much time,” said Seth

“Can it be done, Richie?” Asked Al. “Is thirty minutes enough to crack the safe and get out of there?”

“Depends on the safe,” he said. “It can be done.”

“Richie’s one of the best box-men in the states,” said Kate, with a proud smile. “If anyone can, it would be him.”

Richie gave Kate a side glance. When he saw her beaming back at him, he gave a shy smile. She might compliment him a lot, but never really his safe cracking skills. He liked how pleased she looked to be with one of the best, because to be honest, he wasn’t always sure how she felt about it.

When the plates were cleared, and it seemed like they had done all they could do for the night, Seth asked Jess, Paul, and Roxy if they wanted to hang out a bit instead of just leaving. They agreed. Al grabbed a bottle of Moscato from the fridge for the ladies, and Sean grabbed each of the guys a cold beer.

They all sat in the living room around the fire. Al and Sean were snuggled up on the love seat, with her nestled under his arm. Roxy was leaning against Paul on one side of the huge sectional. Kate was practically laying on Richie as they shared the chaise part of the sectional, their arms wrapped around one another, and her head on his chest. Seth and Jess were sitting next to each other in the middle of the sectional, not touching, but close.

Seth, Richie, Jess, and Pauly were reminiscing about their time together, sharing stories, and telling inside jokes. Kate was enthralled, learning more about their past, just like she always wanted. Seth had the most entertaining stories of them all, he was a storytelling master, and he knew how to jazz them up to get a laugh every time. 

When Seth noticed Jess’s glass was empty, he poured her another glass of the chilled Moscato. She thanked him with a smile, stating that he still knew her well after all these years. 

“Maybe,” he said with a smirk. “Or maybe I’m just an expert on getting girls all liquored up.”

“Like you need liquor to convince a woman,” she laughed back.

“I didn’t say I needed it,” he chuckled. “But it certainly makes things easier.”

“Well if that isn’t a Seth statement,” laughed Al. “I don’t know what is.”

They had a good laugh, and continued swapping stories.

They finally called it quits just before midnight. Paul and Roxy had work in the morning, and so did Sean. Hugs and kisses were given as they left for the night, knowing they would be seeing a lot of each other the next few days. This though, was probably the last night of fun, as they would be extra busy getting ready for the heist over the next few days.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After they scoured through craigslist, they finally found a plain white, refrigerated truck for sale. It was the right size, and not all that far away. It was a private seller, so actually it was the best possible outcome. It would be an all cash deal.

Seth contacted the seller, and they agreed to meet. Obviously it was a two man job, someone would need to drive the car home after they picked it up. Since it was going to be during the day, during the week, that left a few people out. Sean, Pauly, and Roxy all had day jobs, and the sun made the vampires not the best options. So Seth chose his good and trusty, sidekick, Kate Fuller.

It’s not like they didn’t work well together. Hell, he thought, they spent three months working together while on the run in Mexico. That’s not to say they didn’t have their ups and downs, they had those for sure, but overall they were a good team. It was about damn time to get the old team back together.

“You ready to go, partner?” Asked Seth, giving Kate a wink.

Kate smiled, then rolled her eyes, shaking her head, “Just get in the car, Seth. I know I wasn’t your first choice.”

“I’m hurt you would even say that,” he chuckled. “And here I was, thinking it was time for a reunion tour.”

“Just don’t try to ditch me on the side of the road this time,” smirked Kate.

“Don’t be a pain in the ass, and I won’t,” Seth smiled back.

They drove to the location over forty-five minutes away, talking the whole way. It kind of was like old times, thought Kate. It’s been awhile since it was just the two of them having a conversation. Even longer since they enjoyed a car ride alone together. When she really thought about it, she kind of missed this. It was like seeing her best friend for the first time in awhile, even though she lived with him. It was weird, but totally worth it. 

“So I didn’t hear you and Richie going at it last night, for the first time since we got here,” chuckled Seth. “You finally tire him out?”

“First of all, that’s not true. We haven’t had sex every night we’ve been here. And second of all, that, my friend, is an impossible task,” laughed Kate. “I swear no matter what, he is always up for it.”

“Pun intended,” smiled Seth.

“Haha.”

“It’s weird to think that a year ago we were talking about how you were waiting for that special someone, even though we both knew he was right here the whole time. And now, my sweet, innocent, virginal Kate, you bang my brother like you need it to survive. You made a complete one-eighty from only ever making out with one boy, to having sex on more than a regular basis. I didn’t know you had it in you.”

“Well I did wait for that special someone, Seth. I don’t want anyone else. Richie’s the only one for me.”

“Hey, you’re the religious one. Doesn’t God frown upon sex before marriage? And with the way you two go at it, I’m sure that’s braking all sorts of rules.”

“Well my Daddy always told me so,” said Kate. “But after what I’ve been through, I think He should give me a pass. Plus, it’s not like I’m sleeping around. Besides the two times with you, it’s only been Richie. And I intend to keep it like that. Since I plan on spending my life with him, I don’t see the problem with having a healthy sexual relationship. And we don’t always have sex, Seth.”

“No,” chuckled Seth. “Just most of the time. Like every afternoon, and most nights.”

“Oh please,” said Kate, rolling her eyes. Then she gave him a sly smile, “You forgot about most mornings.”

“Oh, my bad,” he chuckled back. “I’m surprised you can even get him up in the morning to do that. He’s always crabby in the morning.”

“To be fair, it’s not like he isn’t ready to go first thing in the morning. I mean every morning I wake up, and there it is, like a stiff hello. Plus, it’s hard to be crabby, when your girlfriend has her hand around your morning wood, and is kissing your neck.”

“It’s also not the best time to disappoint someone,” joked Seth. “She’s got her hand around your MVP, you don’t want to piss her off.”

“That too,” smiled Kate. “So, I’ve been meaning to ask you. How is it having Jess back in your life?””

“To be honest, I never thought I would see her again. Still can’t believe this all happened.”

“How come you guys never talked about her? Or Paul? You guys seemed really close.”

“I don’t know,” said Seth, shrugging his shoulders. “We just don’t like talking about our past, so it doesn’t really come up.”

“But she doesn’t seem to be part of your bad past. In fact she seems to be a rather good part of both of your pasts.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Well, she told us some stuff from when you guys used to hang out. Like about her and Richie fooling around, which I’m sure he enjoyed.”

“Oh he liked it alright,” laughed Seth. “He almost got the third base for the first time in his life. I still don’t know when that actually happened. He skipped over that part with the next one. Maybe it was you?”

“I think it was Kisa, but he won’t tell me,” said Kate, raising her eyebrow at him. “That or that Christina girl.”

“Christina?” Asked Seth, all shocked. “That slut that hung around with the Sharks?”

“Yeah.”

“He never even told me he slept with her. Probably because he knew I did.”

“Gross! You guys are both disgusting!”

“Why? ‘Cause we both slept with her?”

“Yeah.”

“Well she was easy, and pretty talented. And oddly enough, not the only girl we both slept with. You forgetting about your birthday? Or what about New Year’s?”

“No, I’m not, Seth. But he said she slept with like half the crew. Didn’t that make you nervous?”

“No. That’s what condoms are for, Kate. I know you’re unfamiliar with them, but most of us use them.”

Kate just rolled her eyes.

“Oh, and now that I know he slept with her,” said Seth. “She definitely went down on him. She loved giving head. So there’s your answer.”

“Disturbing,” said Kate, matter of factly. “Back to the original topic. I know you and Paul walked in on them. Richie said he was probably more embarrassed than she was, and to top it off you acted like you were disgusted with him, and gave him a lecture on why he shouldn’t have been messing with his friend’s sister. You’re such an asshole sometimes.”

“Me?” Laughed Seth. “First of all, I didn’t give him a lecture. I just tried explaining that he should plow other fields, because that could have really fucked with things. Second, I wasn’t the one groping my friends younger sister. That’s an asshole move. Although I can’t say I blame him.”

“You better not, considering what you did with her,” laughed Kate. “That was more than groping. And you didn’t think that could really fuck with things?”

Seth opened his mouth, then shut it, looking directly at Kate, “She told you about that?”

“Mmhmm. She also said you guys never told Paul, for obvious reasons. Does Richie know?”

“I never told him, and I doubt she did. He has a big mouth, so I figured it would be better if I didn’t say anything. Besides, if I did, I’m sure he never would have let me live that down. So let’s just keep this between you and me. What do ya say, Princess?”

“Fine,” said Kate. “I won’t tell him. But you have to honestly answer one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Did you like her?”

“What?” Asked Seth, all irritated.

“Did you like her? Like, like like her? Is that why you slept with her?”

“I don’t know,” he said, shaking his head. “I was just a teen-aged guy. I wasn’t gonna turn it down.”

“You’re lying,” laughed Kate. “She did mean something to you. Didn’t she?”

“What the fuck does it matter, Kate? That was over ten years ago. Things have changed.”

“I knew it! You do have feelings for her! I saw it in your eyes when we first met her at the club.”

“Oh, like you saw anything other than a pretty woman talking to Richie? I saw the way you were clinging to him. Might as well have peed on him, if you wanted to mark him as yours that bad.”

“And the way you were with her yesterday. You couldn’t keep your eyes off her.”

“Kate. . .”

“I’ve never seen you smile that much before. Oh my God!”

“What?!”

“Were you in love with her? Is that the real reason you were mad at Richie for messing around with her?”

“Kate! Would you knock it off?!”

“Oh my God! You were! You were in love with her! Why didn’t you do anything about it?”

“I’m not talking about this, Kate. It’s in the past. We’re almost there any way,” he said avoiding her question yet again.

“Just tell me why, Seth,” begged Kate. “If you had feelings for her, why didn’t you do something about it?”

“Kate! Just let it go already.”

“Come on, Seth,” she pleaded. “You always bugged me about Richie until I went for it. I think it’s time for me to return the favor. If you don’t answer me, I’m just gonna keep on askin’.”

“Because we were leaving, alright!” He said. “We were leaving, and she wasn’t.”

“So you admit it? You did have feelings for her.”

Seth grunted and mumbled something, shrugging his shoulders.

“Why don’t you go for it now?”

“Kate, just let it be, would ya? We have more important things going on right now.”

“Are you afraid?”

“Afraid of what, Kate?!”

“That she doesn’t feel the same?”

“Of course I’m not afraid,” he said pulling into a warehouse parking lot. “Now let it go. We need to get this fuckin’ truck.”

Kate could tell he was all flustered. In a weird way, she kind of liked being on this side of the conversation for a change. She would stop for now, but was sure as Hell not done with this conversation.

They hopped out of Seth’s car and headed to the building. They were met by a middle-aged man in a baseball cap. He walked them into one of the warehouses to show them the truck.

Kate was pretty much just standing there, letting Seth run the show. He walked around the thing, kicked the tires, turned it on, and tested out all the stuff in the cabin. The last thing he did was open the back door, and checked out the inside. Kate was by his side as they first opened the door.

“Oh my God,” said Kate. “What is that smell? It’s awful.”

“What smell?” Asked Seth.

“You don’t smell that?” She asked in disbelief. “It’s putrid.”

“What? That musty smell? It’s not really that bad, Kate. You’re being over dramatic. Just hasn’t been opened in awhile, that’s all. It’ll air out. Besides, it’s not like we have a lot of options or time here. It’ll do.”

Seth handed the man a wad of cash, then hopped in the cabin. He started heading back with Kate in the GTO right behind him. Pauly had informed them he would have a warehouse ready for the prep and swap this afternoon, so Seth gave him a call to see his progress. He found a spot, and texted Seth the address. He and Kate would drop the truck off there then head off to their next task, checking the security in the alley behind the club. The others would be getting the supplies to prep the truck tomorrow.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seth and Kate were in the alley behind the club. It was a long alley with exits on both sides. Their purpose here was to see just how secure this alley was, and how difficult it would be to get the truck.

They strolled hand in hand down the alley, pretending to be a couple, so they wouldn’t look as suspicious to any potential eyes on the alley. They giggled and acted all flirty with each other, often stopping with Seth pushing Kate against wall when they found a security camera. What they were hiding with Seth’s hands on the wall with Kate in between them, and his kissing her neck, was Kate drawing on a piece of paper about where the camera was located. 

There wasn’t as many as they thought there would be. There was one by every door, but that was it. One by the fire exit to the left, one by loading area, and one by the exit to the right.

The loading area was almost directly in the middle of the alley, and the fire exit was only maybe twenty feet to the left. The whole other part of the alley was camera free. Which was kind of perfect. That looked to be the entrance of the driveway to the alley, with the other side being more pedestrian friendly. They were pretty sure the truck would enter from there, be in the safety of the alley, and still far enough away from the cameras that they wouldn’t be noticed.

Then Seth pointed out the door to the right of the loading area.

“That door is the one that leads to the club itself. You should be familiar with it,” he laughed. “It’s the door my brother took you out of the other day so you could get frisky in this alley.”

“Real funny, Seth,” said Kate.

“It’s the one you and Richie will use to make a break for it. Make sure to block your face from the camera on the left of the door so they can’t see you.” He paused as a huge smile spread across his lips. “I hope you got far enough out of view the other night, or someone got a real good show.”

“Seth! Really?! Are you gonna keep bringing that up?”

“More than likely,” he chuckled. “We’ll just have to let Al know to park a little farther up, so they can’t see her car. I think it’s possible the camera on this side reaches the street.”

“You figure out what you’re gonna do yet?”

“I have a plan. I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.”

“Good,” said Kate. “Then let’s get out of this alley before we’re spotted.”

They headed back to Al’s to let them know what they found, and to get ready for tonight. They were going back to the club one last time. They needed to know a little more about what was going on in that safe room.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was Tuesday night, and Kate, Richie, Seth, and Al were back at the club. Jess was actually working tonight, so while she was going to be there, she wasn’t going to be getting too involved. Her job tonight was to double check the schedule for Thursday to see who the bouncers were going to be, especially the ones at the front door so it could be easier to get stuff in without suspicions. She knew which ones were a little laxidasical and which ones were super serious about their jobs. She was also supposed to get the name of the meat company they used so they could get the right logo on the truck.

On a Tuesday, the place was less like a club, and more like a bar with a dance floor. Most of the people were sitting at tables to the side of the floor, drinking and eating bar food. Only a few people were dancing on the floor, and they seemed to be young, drunk girls for the most part, probably college students.

Kate thought about how ridiculous some of them looked, so young and inexperienced. Then she realized that they had to be about her age, she was only twenty-one herself. Was that what she would have been like if she never met the Geckos, she thought. She had been through a lot since meeting them, and not all of it was for the better. But in looking at the immaturity leaking from these girls, she wasn’t sure if she was still better off going through what she went through instead. 

At the back of her mind, Kate always wondered if she shouldn’t have given normal a try, even after everything. Before she met the Geckos, Kate was a straight A student, looking forward to prom, and graduation. She was looking at colleges across Texas, and even across the country, that she was planning on attending the next fall. Neither Richie or Seth would have judged her if she had decided that’s what she wanted, a normal college experience. 

Would her life have been better if she had gone to college? Not that she didn’t attend classes at one of the local colleges, but what about away at a university? She never did the party thing, no big, drunken, frat parties. Was that even what she wanted? She had to grow up pretty fast after that fateful night at the Twister, but at least she wasn’t making a fool of herself like these girls. 

She leaned into Richie, taking his hand. He folded his fingers between hers, and she immediately knew she was much happier with the way things turned out for her. She had this wonderful man in her life. And even though he was a thief, and not some fancy doctor or lawyer, he was perfect for her. He was good to her, and made her happy. She loved him no matter what he was, and he loved her. She would take this over some fancy degree and frat parties any day. Hell, she thought, she accomplished more than most of these people ever will, college or not. How many of them could claim they saved the world, and mean it? And twice, no less. Yes, sticking with the Gecko’s was the right choice for her.

Jess walked over to their table, serving tray in hand. She was acting just like they were guests at any of her other tables. 

Kate noticed as Seth looked her up and down, lingering just a bit. It brought a smile to her face knowing that she nailed it earlier when she figured out he did in fact have some sort of feelings for her. At the very least, it looked like he was enjoying what he saw. There was this look to his face when she was around that she had never really seen before. He even seemed to sit up a bit straighter. Then he said something that totally brought it home.

“I like that mini skirt, Jess,” he smirked. “Shows off those long legs of yours.”

“It’s required,” she said shaking her head. “I mean, I’m almost ten years older than half the girls that work here, so it makes me feel kind of ridiculous.”

“Required or not,” he said. “You look damn fine. Probably better than most of those girls will look in ten years.” 

She blushed a bit then asked them what they wanted to drink, or if they were hungry. The brothers ordered beers, and Kate and Al just got sodas. They were working, and they didn’t want anything getting in the way of getting their goals.

“Oh,” said Seth, with a classic Seth Gecko grin. “You guys got nachos?”

“Mountain high nachos, comin’ up,” Jess winked back. “Still your go to, huh?”

“How can you go wrong with nachos?” Seth smirked. “And it was your go to. You just never were able to finish them, so I always ended up doing it for you. Guess I kinda got hooked along the way.”

“Well maybe this time I’ll help you,” grinned Jess before she darted off to put the order in.

Al gave Kate a look, raising her eyebrows in question. Kate just smiled and shrugged back. Looks like even Al had picked up on the obvious flirting between the two. Kate figured Richie still had no clue, at least he wasn’t even giving any hints to the contrary. 

Jess came back with the drinks a few minutes later. Stating the nachos would be ready in a few minutes. So the group chatted a bit while waiting for the nachos. They were mainly here to just watch the place, double check camera and guard placement, and get the final details figured out. That could all be done from the safety of this very table.

After that though, it was just waiting for someone to go into the back room. When that happened, all they could do was wait until they came back out. Richie would have to get close enough to see if he could see the safe, so he would know what he would be working with when they came back. 

The next time Jess came back, she brought more than nachos. She placed the huge plate in the center of the table, handed out the little plates, then grabbed a chip filled with toppings.

“Okay,” she said. “You guys are in luck. Thursday night’s door bouncer is Dante. So if you bring your bag in, Kate, the one with the supplies, he’ll probably only glance in it. So just put some makeup and tampons on the top, and that should be all he’ll even see.”

“Perfect,” said Seth.

“The other three are kind of a mixed bag. But luckily Leo and Curtis aren’t gonna be here, ‘cause they’re really on top of things. So as far as bouncers go, you have a pretty easy crew to work with.”

“Great,” said Al. “I like when things kinda work out. I’m not used to it, but it certainly is a nice change.”

“Did you find out the name of the company you get the meats from?” Asked Kate.

“A place called Greely Meats out of Texas,” said Jess.

“We know the place,” smirked Seth.

“Intimately,” snickered Richie. 

“Oh?” Asked Jess.

“Used one of their trucks on another heist actually,” said Richie. 

“Although that one didn’t really end up how we planned,” added Seth

“You think there will be a problem using them again?” Asked Jess.

“No,” said Seth. “Shit went south for a totally different reason. Let’s just say I trusted the wrong woman, who was actually in league with the guy we were stealing from.”

“The plan itself was nearly spotless,” pointed out Richie. “She was the only flaw.”

“Don’t forget about Carlos,” said Kate. “He would have been a problem even if things went smooth.”

“We could’ve taken him,” said Richie, matter of factly.

“Okay,” said Seth. “So we’re going round two with Greely, only this time he’s not just the decoy. He’s the seller.”

“I don’t know that he is,” said Richie.

“Well it’s coming out of his truck, Richard,” said Seth.

“But I don’t think it’s his coke,” said Richie. “I think he’s someone else’s cover.”

“That’s a possibility,” added Al. “If it happened with just little old you, I’m assuming pointing a gun to his head, I would imagine a cartel could also convince him to play along.”

“She makes a good point,” added Jess.

“Okay,” said Seth. “Regardless. At least we know what we’re dealing with.”

“Agreed,” said Richie.

With that, the gang ate their nachos and drank their drinks, patiently waiting for someone to enter the back room. Jess informed them it was only a matter of time, because that room was used several times a night for one reason or another. 

Kate took a sip of Richie’s Dos Equis. For some reason it tasted more bitter than she remembered, and she decided she was going to just stick with her coke. She was more of a mixed drink girl anyway. Richie, on the other hand, thought it tasted fine, so he didn’t know what she was talking about.

About an hour later, someone finally went into the back room. It was the manager, probably putting away large bills and getting more change from the safe.

Seeing this, and not knowing how much time they had, Richie quickly whisked Kate to the dance floor. He moved them to the edge, over as close to the door as they could. Seth pulled Al out too, so Richie and Kate wouldn’t look as suspicious. The couples danced together, waiting for their chance. 

Jess finished up getting a drink request from one of her other tables, and saw the others dancing. She saw the manager heading that way only a moment earlier, and figured he must have gone into the back. She made her move slowly over to the door, hoping to catch him as he was leaving. If it worked out, her distraction would give Richie enough of a chance to peek inside without being noticed.

It worked. Jess got to the door, just before the manager walked out. She started asking him something about her schedule for next week, as he stood in the doorway. He didn’t make a move to leave as Jess talked to him.

Richie spun Kate around so he was now facing to open door. He leaned back just enough to see behind the man. He could see the safe sitting in the corner, and a big grin crossed his face. A few seconds after that, the manager walked away with Jess.

“You see it?” Asked Kate.

“Yep.”

“How we lookin’?” Asked Seth.

“It’s a dial,” smirked Richie. “And not even a real good one.”

“So you got this?” Asked Al.

“Should take me less than twenty minutes,” shrugged Richie. 

“Perfect,” smiled Seth. “‘Cause you have less than thirty to get your ass out of there.”

“Should be plenty of time,” smiled Richie. Then he gave Kate a big, sloppy kiss.


	11. Money, Money, Money

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for the heist. Can the group do it?
> 
> Tidbit: Richie, Kate, and Al were back in the club, mingling along the outskirts of the dance floor. They were trying not to look suspicious, but were definitely keeping an eye on the door to the back room. Mike, the head of security, showed up between 9 and 9:30 according to Jess, and it was inching close to that time. As soon as he got inside that door, they would get into position.

It was the night of the heist, and everyone was back at Al’s going over the plan one more time. Everyone knew where they should be and when. Every detail was gone over, every T crossed, and I dotted. These guys were a pretty big organization, and there was no room for error. They wouldn’t hesitate to kill anyone if they slipped up, so everyone had to be on point.

It was about time to go. The groups would split up, and wait for the right moment to strike. 

“I can’t believe we’re actually doing this,” said Alessandra. “I knew I was hanging around with criminals, but I never thought I would actually be one.”

“Like you’ve never committed a crime before?” Smirked Seth.

“Not a big one.”

“No?” He asked. “Never killed anyone?”

She gave him an exasperated look, “Touche. But it was never really by choice.”

“I’m not sure that makes as much of a difference as you think, in the eyes of the law,” he said. 

“I suppose not,” she mused.

“Well,” said Kate. “If it makes you feel better, these aren’t exactly good guys that we’re robbing. They kinda have it coming.”

“Are we exactly good guys?” Asked Al, with a smirk. 

“Is anyone really?” Chuckled Richie. “And we could always be worse. I like to think of us as somewhere in they gray area.”

“That’s a valid point, Richard,” said Al. “And I suppose we’ve done some really good things too. You know, like saving the world, and stuff.”

“Saving the world?” Asked Jess.

“It’s a figure of speech,” said Richie, eyeing Al.

“What it is, is a long story,” said Seth, glaring at Al. “Which we don’t have time for right now, because we’re about to rob the mob of not only a safe full of cash, but a truck full of cocaine.”

Al shrugged it off, clearly not all that concerned about possibly letting some details slip. It wouldn’t be the first time, nor was it the worst thing she could have said. She could have mentioned something about how they weren’t just robbing any old mob, this one was full of werewolves. But she didn’t.

“So if nobody has any other questions. . .” Paused Seth, to look around briefly. “Good. Let’s get moving then.”

They made their way to the cars, ready for action. Al, Kate, and Richie in Al’s car. They were the safe team, with Al as a getaway driver. The rest were in Sean’s SUV. Paul and Roxy would be dropping Seth, Sean, and Jess off at the club so they could wait in the alley, and leave no car behind. Then they would head to the warehouse, and get the duplicate truck. They were the backup plan, hoping to distract them if the truck didn’t get away as smoothly as they planned.

The closer they got to the place, the more nervous Kate became. This wasn’t like the other jobs they pulled off. This was way more dangerous. It wasn’t a bank, she thought, it was the fucking mob. And werewolves too. She knew there was no way either Gecko would back down though. She saw the look in their eyes from the beginning.

She was just going to have to do her part. Make sure she didn’t slip up and let them down. Yes, she was aware that they had pulled off some high risk jobs before. They killed Amaru, and took down a satanic cult, for Christ’s sake. But this was still different. Those were life or death situations, and this, this was just fun for them. 

“I think I’m gonna be sick,” she moaned in the backseat.

“What?” Asked Al, seriously freaking out. “I swear to God, if you throw up in that back seat, Kate. I’ll kill you myself.”

“Just pull over, Al,” said Richie.

Al found a place to pull over, and Kate hopped out of the car. Richie made a move to exit, noticed Al doing the same, and put his hand on her arm.

“Let me talk to her,” he said.

Al nodded, and remained in the car as Richie got out. 

When he got out there, he found Kate hunched over a few feet from the car.

“You okay, baby?” He asked.

“No!”

“What’s wrong?”

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this, Richie. Something feels wrong.”

“What about it feels wrong?”

“I don’t know! It just does.”

“Katie,” he said, wrapping his arms around her. “We’ve got this, baby. We’ve gone over the plan a dozen times. It’ll work.”

“I know,” she sobbed into his chest. “But this is way more dangerous than the other jobs we pulled off. What if something goes wrong?”

“Then we improvise,” he said kissing her forehead. “Remember what Uncle Eddie used to say to us? Adjust if you must, but stick to the plan, Stan. If we have to, we can make changes, but until then, just do everything like we planned, and everything will be fine.”

“But what if it’s not?”

“It will be,” he paused. “Do you trust me?”

“Of course I trust you.”

“And I trust you. I know you can do this, Kate. We all can. So trust me when I say it’s gonna be fine.”

“Promise?”

“I promise,” said Richie.

“Everything?”

“Everything. We’re a good team, Kate. Always have been. Just breathe, baby.”

“I love you,” said Kate, as she backed up and looked Richie in the eyes.

“I love you too,” he smiled back.

Richie leaned his head down, and gave Kate a soft, passionate kiss. When he tried to pull away, she pulled him back in for another.

“You ready?” He asked, as he pulled away from the second kiss.

Kate nodded, then Richie walked her back to the car, arm around her waist.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Paul and Roxy dropped Seth, Jess, and Sean off near the alley, then headed to pick up the duplicate truck. It was all freshly painted to look like one of Greely’s other trucks. They were going to be driving it around the area of the club while the rest of the gang got the money and the cocaine. Then they were to head in the opposite direction from the swap location, when they got the call from Seth letting them know they were on their way. They wouldn’t meet up back at the swap location for hours, taking a long, and out of the way route. When they finally made it there, they needed to get the coke separated into the duplicate truck to be sold.

Seth and the gang headed down the street for the alley as soon as Paul drove off. They were trying to look nonchalant as they turned down it. It was 8:30, so they still had a lot of time to kill before the truck got there, but they wanted to be prepared. 

There was a little nook they were going to hide in, down the alley. That way, if anyone from the club happened to go into the alley, they wouldn’t be seen. The nook was close enough to the end of the alley that they would know when the truck pulled in, and could quickly get into position. It was quite perfect actually.

Sean dropped the backpack he was carrying on the ground. He opened it again to make sure all the stuff they needed was still in it. Ropes and duct tape all present and accounted for. 

“Still look like it did in the car?” Asked Seth, with a sarcastic smile.

“Hey,” said Sean. “I’ve never done anything like this before. I’m a little nervous things might get out of hand, so I have to keep making sure I have what I need. It makes me feel better.”

“Well, everything’s gonna be fine,” said Seth. “The plan is simple, so as long as you don’t forget your part, we’re golden. You remember you gun?”

“Yeah,” he said, pulling it from his waistband. “Haven’t had to get this thing out since the last time I was here.”

“Did you know what was going on while you did security?” Asked Jess.

“Yeah,” said Sean, with a shrug. “I knew they were a mob family, and knew about the drugs and shit, but I wasn’t directly involved. I just watched their backs. At first I wasn’t sure about it, but it paid really well.”

“Was there ever a line you would draw as to what was still acceptable?” She asked.

“Anything with kids, or murder. In the five years I was here, I never saw anything like that. I don’t think they’re involved with kids in any way. And while I’m sure murders happened, I never saw one. Well not directly.”

“What does that mean?” Asked Jess.

“The day they tried to kill me, I saw something I shouldn’t have. I would have been out of there after that even if they didn’t try to kill me.”

“Can’t say I blame you,” said Seth. “But let’s try to focus on the task at hand.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Richie, Kate, and Al were back in the club, mingling along the outskirts of the dance floor. They were trying not to look suspicious, but were definitely keeping an eye on the door to the back room. Mike, the head of security, showed up between 9 and 9:30 according to Jess, and it was inching close to that time. As soon as he got inside that door, they would get into position.

In the meantime, they made light small talk over nonalcoholic drinks, well except for Al, who would be using alcohol as her cover tonight. She had to look the part.

“Do you think it’s safe not telling them everything?” Asked Al.

“What?” Asked Richie. “About the werewolves and vampire shit?”

“Yeah,” she said. “Shouldn’t they know?”

“No,” he said. “It’s better not to get them involved in that shit if we don’t have to. It isn’t something you can just walk away from, Al. Once they find out, it’s forever.”

“What if it comes up?”

“Then it comes up,” he shrugged. “But until then, we leave them out.”

“You’re the boss,” she shrugged back.

Kate had never heard Al refer to Richie as ‘the boss’ before. Seth, yes, but that was because he was loud and obnoxious, and she did it just to get him to shut up. 

Last time they were on a mission together, Al had a lot more to do with the planning and decision making, but she was totally out of her element here. Richie had the most experience with this kind of stuff, so Kate figured it did kind of make him the boss. As long as Seth wasn’t here, throwing his weight around as usual. He did tend to be really bossy, and even though Richie could easily take him, he never really put up a fight. He just let him drive, taking his spot in the passenger seat. Seth needed to feel in control, Richie was used to letting him think he was.

It was 9:10, and two big guys started making their way to the back room, each holding a large briefcase. The group’s eyes all suddenly followed their movements. They got to the door, typed in the code, and the head of security went inside, taking both cases. The other guy did as Jess said he would, just stood to the side of the door.

Al gulped down the rest of her drink as they waited for the guy to leave the room.

“Good luck, guys,” she said. “I’m off to do my best impression of my Uncle Giuseppe at a family gathering.”

“Good luck, Al,” said Kate. “We’ll see you in the alley.”

Al nodded then swayed her way to the other side of the club. Richie and Kate had to get into character as well.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back in the alley, they were still in the little nook. They had had no interruptions thus far, and nobody had even entered the alley at all. 

Seth impatiently looked at his watch, wondering just how close they were.

“9:20,” he said. “I wonder how the other teams are doing.”

“You think they’re already on the move in there?” Asked Sean.

“Possibly,” said Jess. “Mike could already be in that room for all we know.”

“Well we’ll know when we see them exit at the other end,” said Seth. “Hopefully the truck won’t be too much longer after that.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate and Richie approached the door from the side opposite from where Al was. While she was playing town drunk, they were playing tipsy, young lovers, who couldn’t keep their hands off one another. He frequently stopped to grope or kiss her, just in case this Jimmy saw them approaching. He would think they were just another drunkish couple looking for privacy.

Al had purchased another drink, a big one, and was sloshing it as she walked around all off balanced. Kate thought she was doing a pretty good imitation of an actual, irritating drunk. Although she figured she had to have some experience at actually being this inebriated. 

She bumped into a couple, apologized like a dick, acting like it was somehow their fault. Then she bumped into another guy not that far from the door. She pointed in his chest and yelled a slurred ‘watch where you’re goin’, man’. When he got slightly defensive, she made a comment about not touching her, and called him a perv. Jimmy’s eyes were now fully on her as he watched this all unfold about fifteen feet from him.

Richie now had Kate pinned against the wall next to the VIP section, only feet from the door. He was tightly gripping her ass with one hand, and groping everywhere else with the other. Her hands were frantically running through his hair, as they sloppily made out with one another. 

Only a minute later, Mike opened the door. Jimmy was still watching as Al made a spectacle of herself only feet away, swaying, slurring, spilling, and yelling like an idiot. Mike saw Kate and Richie, but very quickly turned his attention towards Al as well. He elbowed Jimmy in the ribs, stating they needed to take care of that before the boss got there.

The entire time, he was still standing in the door frame, door open behind him. Neither looked twice at Kate or Richie, clearly thinking the groping, drunk couple was less of an offense than the slurring, obnoxious drunk on the dance floor. 

As they headed over to Al, Richie quickly made a move to retrieve something from his pocket. Without Mike or Jimmy noticing, he was able to sneak a piece of duct taped cardboard over the locking mechanism of the door, so it couldn’t lock behind him. The first part of this operation was done, he could get in, but was going to wait until they were more distracted.

The guys were now surrounding Al, trying to persuade her to move on. She was not having it, just like she was supposed to. She pointed in Mike’s chest and called him something along the lines of a chauvinistic pig, trying to enforce his laws upon her. But then she pointed out that women have rights, and it was her right to dance how she pleased. That obviously didn’t go over well, and he grabbed her by the arm. She threw what remained of her drink at him, and that was the end. They both took one of her arms and walked her towards the door.

Richie took this opportunity to grab Kate’s big bag, she was using as a purse. Inside she had two other duffel bags tucked at the bottom. By Richie’s calculation, each bag should hold approximately two-million in hundreds. Kate’s bag could probably hold somewhere near a million, so together they should have enough space to empty the safe.

He gave Kate a quick kiss, then darted inside the door as security was busy with Al. He only had about thirty minutes to get in and out. 

Kate walked around the corner, into the hallway with the bathrooms. She needed to be close enough to keep an eye out, and give the signal if need be, but not close enough to look suspicious. It was one thing if a couple were groping next to a door, it was something else all together for a lone woman to just be standing in front of it. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seth was staring at his watch again.

“Come on,” he said. 

He was getting impatient while waiting to see that exit door swing open at the far end of the alley. He didn’t like not knowing what was going on in there. Plus the truck would be here soon hopefully, and then it would be his turn for action.

His thoughts were quickly broken as he felt a warm hand grip his. He looked down to see Jess’s fingers intertwined with his. 

He looked up into her face. She was smiling back at him, but he could see the nerves behind it. This was the biggest job she ever pulled off. 

Seth winked at her as a sign that everything would be okay, flashing one of his classic, smooth, Seth Gecko grins. She squeezed his hand a little harder.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Richie dumped all of the crap from Kate’s bag on the ground. It was mostly just garbage, and it was not needed. What he did need from it were the bags, and his stethoscope. He was going to crack this safe the old fashioned way.

It might take some professionals up to two hours to crack a safe like this, but Richie was good at his craft. He had cracked safes much bigger, and much better than this one in thirty minutes or less. He didn’t even need a notepad to write things down as he went, his memory was good enough that he had no problem remembering every difference he heard. 

He placed the stethoscope next to the dial, and started listening for the clicks. It didn’t take long before he already had the first number. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With Al being tossed out, Kate was the only one left in the bar. She was nervous again, so much more nervous than when they did their other jobs. Partly because they were always together doing the other jobs, and they were all separated now, and partly because of the scale of criminals they were currently dealing with. These guys were bad news. They tried to kill Sean by biting him, and leaving him to die in the middle of the woods. It was a miracle he survived. 

She was keeping a close eye on the door, waiting for when the big boss got there. That would mean Richie didn’t have much time. She was also watching Mike and Jimmy just as closely, hoping they stayed where they were over by the bar. As far as the other bouncers, none of them seemed to even notice her hovering in the corner.

Kate looked down at her watch, noticing that ten minutes had passed since Richie walked into that room. God, she hopped he wasn’t having any issues.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Click. There was the second number. One more left. 

Richie took a slow breath in, and released it before starting again to find the last number. He was that much closer to getting the cash, and getting Kate and himself out of there. And Kate’s safety was always his first priority.

He couldn’t really think about that now though, he needed to concentrate. He knew she was more than capable of taking care of herself, and besides, she knew the drill. If danger was approaching, she was to knock four times, and get the Hell out of there. She was not supposed to stick around for him. He could fight his own way out, but if she was in danger, he would always put her first, and that would put him at a disadvantage.

Just focus, Richie, he thought. Just focus.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate was still peering around the bar, all was seeming to go to plan. She looked down at her watch one more time, twenty-five minutes had gone by. 

People around her were dancing, and grinding to the 90’s hip hop hits of this Throwback Thursday night, oblivious to what was going on right beside them. The music was loud, she was wondering if it was having an effect on Richie’s being able to hear the clicks from the safe. He didn’t seem to think it was going to be a problem though, and she had to trust him. 

Just then she noticed movement at the front door. Carlo had walked in, and he and his entourage were now talking with Mike by the bar. Fuck, she thought. He was early.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Richie had his hand on the handle of the safe door. He pulled it sideways, and it opened. He was in.

Just then he heard two knocks on the door. It was Kate, giving the signal that time was running out. The boss was early tonight. He had to hurry. 

He flung the door open, and looked at the stash of cash. It was all there. Just looking at it, he estimated it was somewhere between four and five million, just like they figured. 

Richie grabbed the first duffel and started loading it. He was working as fast as he could, so the piles weren’t as neat as he would have liked. But in a perfect world, boss man wouldn’t be here yet, and he would have more time. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carlo and his goons where still at the bar, but Kate knew that it was only a matter of time. Richie needed to hurry. They could turn around and head here any second. She knocked again, letting him know they were still in danger of getting caught. She hoped he was almost done in there.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Richie was loading up the third bag. Kate’s impatient knocking made him sigh, but he dumped the cash inside. It was starting to get full, and he wanted to make sure the one she was going to carry wasn’t too heavy. He put the last few stacks into his jacket pockets to avoid the extra weight for her.

He stood up, closed the safe, and carried the bags over to the door. He opened it slightly, and Kate pushed it opened further, signifying it was safe to leave. 

Richie handed her the one bag, then he took the cardboard of the door locking mechanism. He wanted as much time to get out as possible, before they noticed anything was wrong. Then he grabbed both duffles and headed out, pushing Kate in front of him down the hall.

They made it down the hall towards the exit in a hurry. They were almost there when the door to the men’s room swung open. It was one of the bouncers for the club.

At first he excused himself, thinking he almost ran into some club patrons, then he noticed the bags and became suspicious. 

Richie could see the look suddenly change on his face, and knew what was coming. As the guy went to grab for his gun, Richie dropped the bag in his left hand. His third eye appeared, stunning the bouncer, giving Richie enough time to smack it against the guy’s forehead.

“Keep walking,” he instructed. “Like you never saw anything.”

The guy released his gun, and slowly walked down the hall towards the club, in a trance. It was really like he never even saw them. 

Kate was always in a toss up as to what she really thought about Richie’s third eye. She thought it was both creepy, and kind of cool. She liked the fact that it showed up as a direct correlation to her death at the well though. Culebras usually got their wyobe to first appear during or after something traumatic. She liked the thought that after everything that happened to him, her death was still so traumatic to him that it triggered that particular response. Not that she liked that he was traumatized, she just liked the fact that she had that effect on him.

After Amaru, when she first started living at the Jacknife, Kate had a long talk with him about it. She saw him use it as Amaru, but was not one hundred percent sure of all it could do. She asked him to show it to her, and he did. It creeped her out as it moved around, and eventually seemed to stare at her. She made him promise to never use it on her, and he did. Stating that he would never do something like that. She trusted him enough to know he wasn’t lying.

Right now though, she saw the practicality of the eye. It was clearly very useful, even though she had never seen him use it before. Maybe it was cooler than she originally thought. Possibly even less creepy than she thought too.

Richie picked his dropped bag back up, and continued pushing Kate on ahead. When they got to the exit, he used his long leg to kick the bar, and push the door open. They made a dash down the alley, and headed around the corner to where Al was waiting. 

They jumped in her car, and Richie yelled, “Go, go, go.”

Al stepped on it, and they were off in a flash, heading to the safe house to wait for the others.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seth heard the door slam open on the other side of the alley. He peered around the corner just in time to see Richie and Kate dash around the corner.

“Well I’ll be damned,” he said. “They’re out.”

“Yes!” Said Jess, all excited to see their plan unfolding before her eyes. Her nerves were subsiding, and the rush of the score was overtaking her.

“Truck should be here any minute,” said Sean. “It’s ten to ten.”

Only a minute later, they heard the sound of a diesel engine making its way down the alley.

Seth looked at Jess, “Here’s your chance to shine, sugar,” then he winked and nodded towards the alley.

“I can do this,” she said, taking deep breath.

She made a dash for the alley, stepping out in front of the truck. It came to an abrupt stop only feet from her.

The truck driver was pissed, waving his hands at her, telling her to get out of the way. He yelled, ‘What are you? Crazy?’ out of his partially open window. When she still didn’t move, he made a what the fuck gesture at her.

Tap, tap, tap, was heard on his window. The driver turned to look, and there was a smiling Seth, pointing his gun at him. Another tap came from the other window, he looked over to see Sean pointing a gun at him from that side. He gulped.

“I’m gonna need you to step out of the truck now,” smirked Seth.

The driver obliged, stepping down from the truck with his hands up. Sean made his way around again, and handed Jess the backpack full of rope.

She first taped the guys mouth shut with the duct tape, then taped his wrists together. Then she tied to rope around his midsection, tying his arms to his body.

They walked him at gunpoint to the back of the truck. Seth grabbed the keys, and opened the back. They made sure everything was there, then closed it back up. 

Last, they tied the driver to a light post in the alley, telling him to stay put. Then they all hopped in the cab, Seth at the wheel. Only a few seconds later they were heading down the alley. They turned onto the main street and were off.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carlo, Mike, and two other guys walked into the back room. They were too busy chatting, and laughing away to notice the pile of purse fillers sitting in the corner. He opened the safe, and nearly passed out.

“Where the fuck is the money, Mikey? You fuckin’ with me?” Asked Carlo.

“No, boss,” said Mike. “It was all there, I swear.”

“Well then where the fuck is it now?”

“I. . . I don’t know.”

Carlo grabbed him by the collar, “You better go find it, or I’ll be replacing you. And by replacing you, I mean nobody will even be able to find a piece of you when I’m done with you.” He turned to the other men, “Go check for the truck.”

The two men ran to the door to the alley, only to find it was empty. They looked both ways, and just barely saw the truck driver tied to the poll on the other end. They ran to him, ripped the tape from his mouth, and asked what happened. He told them, as they untied him.

The two guys walked back to Carlo in the safe room.

“Boss,” said one of them. “We’ve got an even bigger problem. Trucks gone.”

“Find it!” Yelled Carlo. “Now!”

He turned back to Mike, who was freaking out for real now. 

“This is your fault, you stupid son of a bitch!”

“Boss,” pleaded Mike. “I swear I had nothing to do with it. You know me. I’ve worked for you for over ten years. I would never betray you. It wasn’t me.”

“Who said anything about betraying me?” Asked Carlo, with a smirk. “You’re too fuckin’ stupid to come up with a plan like this. But it happened on your watch.”

Carlo’s free hand started to change. The nails grew sharp and pointed like a wolf’s claws. Mike was begging for his life, but Carlo wasn’t hearing it.

He stuck the man in the throat, puncturing almost all the way through. Blood was spraying everywhere. Carlo kept digging until Mike’s head fell from his body.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Whooo!” Yelled Seth, as they drove to the safe-house. “Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about!”

Sean and Jess were laughing next to him as the adrenaline pumped through their veins. 

“I can’t believe we just did that!” Yelled Jess.

“You better believe it, baby,” said Seth. “We all just got a lot richer.” 

“Fuck yeah we did,” laughed Sean. “Holly fuck, man!”

Seth took out his phone and called Paul. He told him they were on their way to the swap location. 

“Got it,” said Paul, on the other end of the line. “We’ll meet you there in a few hours.”

“Good luck, brother,” said Seth, before he hung up.

A minute later, they passed each other, as Paul headed in the opposite direction just in case. They nodded to each other as they passed by.

“This is it,” said Seth. “We get to the safe-house, swap the coke onto the other truck, and we’re Scott free.”

“We did it,” smiled Jess.

“Yeah,” said Seth, smiling back at her. “We did.”

He leaned over and gave her a quick and sloppy kiss.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carlo’s guys were speeding down the road, looking for the rogue meat truck. Then, at the intersection, they saw a white, Greely Meat truck cross their path.

“There it is,” said the passenger.

“Got it,” said the driver.

They frantically got over, and sped through the intersection, ending up a few cars behind the truck. A few blocks later, they were along its side. The passenger rolled down his window, and shot at the truck. A couple more shots and the truck veered off to the side. They followed.

The passenger was hanging from the car window now, still shooting at the truck. Then when they were close enough, he grabbed onto the mirror of the truck, and pulled himself out. He held on for dear life, pointing the gun at the driver. 

“Pull over,” he yelled. 

The truck driver did as he was told, and the other guy parked in front of the truck so he wouldn’t have an easy getaway.

The passenger opened the driver’s door, and pulled him out.

“Gimme the keys to the back,” said the other guy.

The driver did as he was told, and all three were walked to the rear of the truck. They opened it up. It was completely empty. Pauly provided the distraction he was supposed to. 

“Where’s the stuff?” Asked one of the guys.

“I. . . I finished my delivery,” lied Paul. “I’m headed back.”

“Fuck,” sighed the other guy.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back at the safe-house, Sean opened the rolling garage door, and Seth eased in. They got out of the truck, and headed over to Richie, Kate, and Al. They were all sitting at a big table in the corner, counting money.

Al got up as fast as she could, and ran to Sean. She leapt at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist at the contact, and gave her a big kiss.

“Mmmm,” she moaned. “You’re okay.”

“Yep,” he smiled back. “And you made it here in one, solid piece, I see.”

“Whatcha got there, Richie?” Asked Seth, with a big, old smile.

“We’re looking at about four point seven mill, brother,” he smiled back. “Now we just need to see what’s in the truck.”

“Well then,” said Seth. “Let’s get to sorting.”

The gang headed over to the truck, and Seth rolled open the back. They stood there, staring at crate after crate of meat.

“Does the club really serve this much food in a week?” Asked Al.

“They do pretty good for themselves,” said Jess. “It’s only club-like Thursday through Saturday. The rest of the time it’s pretty mild.”

“Yeah,” said Sean. “They do a lot of business lunches during the day, and the food was actually pretty good. Steaks, ribs, seafood. They actually served pretty classy food for lunch specials.”

“Huh,” said Al.

“What are we gonna do with all that meat?” Asked Kate.

“Nothing,” said Richie. “We only need that cocaine. Who cares what happens with the meat.”

“We shouldn’t waste it,” she said.

“We could always take some of it back with us,” said Al. “Steak isn’t cheap. I wouldn’t mind making some high quality steaks for dinner. What do ya think, Sean? You feel like steak this week?”

“Only if you let us cook for you, this time,” he smirked. “You and Kate have been cooking for us for the last two weeks. It would only be fair.”

“I’d be okay with that,” laughed Al.

“Richie?” Asked Kate.

“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt.”

“Enough of this,” said Seth, shaking his head. “Let’s get this coke out of here, and see what we’re dealing with.”

They started digging into the crates, carefully pulling the cocaine from the bottom of the crates. The nicely packaged meat was sitting on top of a false bottom in each crate. About an hour and a half later, they had retrieved all the coke from the crates, and had each brick stacked nicely off to the side.

“Jesus Christ,” breathed Seth. “There has to be almost fifty bricks here.”

“There’s forty,” said Richie, matter of factually.

“How much is that?” Asked Kate. “In money?”

“At about two-thousand an ounce,” said Richie. “Roughly two point eight million dollars.”

“Fuck,” sighed Al. “I never thought I would see this much cocaine in one spot. It’s fuckin’ nuts.”

“What’s that all together?” Asked Seth. “Cash and all?”

“About seven and a half mill,” answered Richie. “So that’s almost nine-hundred-forty-thousand a piece.”

“That’s a lot of money,” said Sean.

“More than I’ve ever had,” smiled Jess.

“It was a good score, Al,” laughed Seth.

“You mad I asked them now, Sean?” Asked a chuckling Al.

“Nope,” he smirked back.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Richie came back inside from having a smoke. He left the garage door open to ventilate the warehouse. It was getting really stuffy in there, and Kate was complaining about sweating and barely being able to breathe.

“Just got off the phone with Roxy,” said Jess. “They’re headed here now. Should be here within the hour.”

“Good,” said Seth. “I want to get this shit packed up, and get out of here.”

“Well, don’t forget we have to paint over the duplicate truck before before Paul meets the buyers,” said Kate.

“And ditch the meat truck,” added Richie.

“Yeah, yeah,” said Seth. “The point is, the sooner they get here, they better.”

“I still can’t believe we did this,” laughed Jess. “We actually pulled it off.”

“We’re professionals, sweetheart,” smirked Seth. “It’s what we do.”

“We still make a pretty good team,” she smiled. “Like nothing changed.”

“I’m thinking it’s about time something changed,” smiled Seth, looking her up and down.

Kate heard that, and saw the way he was looking at her. She saw the way Jess was looking at him too. She started to immediately freak out on the inside. Oh my God, she thought. Was that him going for it? Was he making a move? Was that her accepting it?

“Who’s up for a little Scarface later?” Asked Al, breaking up Kate’s internal freak out. “All I can think about now is him snorting from a giant pile of cocaine, and since we happen to have a giant pile of cocaine. . . “

“You would think that,” snorted Kate. “I mean I know you regularly smoke weed, but have you ever even done cocaine before?”

“First of all, Kate,” said Al. “I do not regularly smoke weed. I’m a recreational user, like Richie. And second of all, yes I have. A few times. But not since the nineties.”

“The nineties?” Asked Jess. “How old were you?”

“Al!” Yelled Seth. “What the fuck?”

“What? Sorry. I keep forgetting.”

“Probably because of all the weed you’ve been recreationally smoking for all these years,” he glared.

“Don’t blame the weed, man,” she said. “I’m not used to company that doesn’t know.”

“Doesn’t know what?” Asked Jess.

“It’s nothing,” said Seth. He turned to Al. “You need to learn to keep your big, fucking mouth shut.”

“Don’t you yell at her,” said a now pissed off Sean, stepping between them.

“Guys,” said Kate. “Stop fighting. It was an honest mistake.”

“What was a mistake?” Asked Jess, now truly frustrated.

“Nothing,” said Seth and Richie, in unison.

“How many times are you gonna make that mistake, Al?” Asked Seth, snidely. “It’s almost like you’re doing it on purpose.”

“I am not, Seth!” She yelled back. 

“What the fuck, man!” Yelled Sean. “What’s your fuckin’ problem?”

Pop!

Everyone dodged, at the loud noise, looking around. Seth turned to look at everyone behind him, seeing if they were okay. He saw a red spot growing on the abdomen of Richie’s white shirt.

“Shit,” he cried. “Richie, you’re hit.”

Richie immediately stepped in front of Kate, facing the open garage door.

Pop!

Richie’s head sprung back, as he was shot in the forehead. He fell back onto Kate, and she started to panic. She grabbed onto him as he fell down, cradling him in her arms, and crying his name.

Jess screamed, watching her childhood friend fall over with a bullet hole in his forehead.

“Where’s my truck?” Yelled a voice from the doorway.


	12. Plan B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Carlo and his goons now at the warehouse, the gang prepares to defend their take. . . and their lives.
> 
> Tidbit: This was a mess, and the whole place was in a state of shock and confusion. Jess was screaming and crying at the sight of Richie, lying in Kate’s arms, blood covering his shirt, and dripping from the tiny hole in his forehead.

13 Moons ago

Sean was driving a big, black, Escalade down a street lined with large houses, set back on well manicured, green lawns. Since he was on official family business, he was driving one of Carlo’s cars. God forbid any one of them would be caught in something less flashy.

He was on his way to pick up Carlo’s youngest son, Rocco, and his wife Kelsie. He was supposed to bring them to a banquet that was being held in honor of Carlo’s sixty-fifth birthday. It was a black-tie event, and since Sean was going to be pulling double duty as chauffeur and security, he too was in the full penguin suit.

Sean was not really a fan of Rocco. Of all of Carlo’s five kids, he was his least favorite. It was well known that he sampled the family goods a little too frequently. He would often use any of the drugs they sold, regardless of what it was, and even spent time with the women they pimped too. He was particularly fond of cocaine though, and used that regularly. 

His cocaine induced rampages made him difficult to deal with, and were a source of immense frustration for Carlo. His unpredictability, lack of responsibility, and near constant inebriation were the main reasons Rocco had little to do with the family business. Not that he didn’t reap the benefits. He was given one of the family’s smaller businesses to manage, and everything, including his house, was paid for by Carlo. He was the black sheep for sure, but he was still family, so Carlo ordered him to his party. Sean was sent to pick him up, to make sure he actually came, on time and presentable. 

Now Rocco’s wife, Kelsie, was another story. Sean didn’t like her at first either, but as time passed, she grew on him. She too had a drug problem, doing pretty much anything Rocco did, but was actually in the process of recovery. She was a little over a year sober, and yet she still managed to stay with her coked out, alcoholic, loser of a husband. Sean always admired her choice to get clean, and to stick with it, but never understood why she stayed with Rocco knowing everything he did. Love was funny like that.

Still, Sean always felt bad for her, and thought that their marriage wouldn’t last that much longer into her sobriety. She had to eventually realize she could do better, and that Rocco was never going to support her. It’s not like he was a loving and caring husband. He had no plans on changing his lifestyle, and regardless of the fact that he had a beautiful wife at home, he constantly slept with, and paid for, the escorts his father and brothers pimped out. It was a real shame, as far as Sean was concerned, but a job was a job, an he was told to make sure they got to the party in one piece.

He pulled into the driveway around 5:30. He called Rocco, but got no answer. So he got out and rang the bell. No answer. He rang it again, and knocked, and still got no answer. Now he was nervous. What if that idiot was high as shit again, he thought. Carlo would be pissed, and to top it off, Sean would be the only one here to deal with him. He was awful if he had a bad high, aggressive, heartless, trigger happy, and strangely powerful.

Sean dug his key ring out of his pocket, and opened the door. It was quiet inside, dead quiet.

“Hey, Rocco?!” He shouted, as he entered to foyer. “It’s me, Sean Callahan. I’m here to pick you up for your dad’s banquet. You about ready to go, sir?”

There was no answer, so Sean walked further into the house. He checked all the rooms downstairs until he got to Rocco’s home office. The door was closed, he thought maybe he was in there. Sean hoped he hadn’t tried heroin again, he could be passed out, or worse. It was incredibly difficult to snap him out of it when he did heroin, and he was extremely unpleasant to deal with when you finally managed to rouse him. Luckily it wasn’t a frequent occurrence, because he preferred coke or molly, although he wasn’t great on either of those either.

Unfortunately if he did in fact shoot up again, it wouldn’t be the first time Sean had to deal with it on his own. And right before his father’s birthday; it was just the kind of timing Rocco would choose. This guy was a constant nightmare.

Sean pushed the door to the office open, and his heart nearly stopped. The scene he saw before him was the most horrific thing he had ever seen. He couldn’t even believe it was actually real. He fought back the intense need to vomit, but only slightly, as he turned to gag and dry heave in the hall.

The room was soaked in blood. The walls, the floors, the ceiling, the furniture, all splatted in a deep crimson. And that wasn’t even the worst part.

Sean fought with himself inwardly, but turned back to the gory scene in the office. He had to see who was in there, make sure it wasn’t Rocco himself. There were body parts scattered about the room. An arm here, a leg there, two shredded torsos with gaping wounds and holes. There was even a finger only a few inches from his foot. It had a long, red fingernail, and was obviously female. 

“Fuck,” yelled Sean, jumping back a step, realizing how close he was to the forgotten digit. He nearly threw up for real this time.

He looked around in shock, but eventually his mind let him process enough to see that it appeared to be the torn up bodies of two woman. What was left of the torsos were definitely female. That made him believe at least Rocco was not a part of this ghastly scene. But where was he?

Sean looked at the desk, and saw lines of cocaine, still in place. There were several bags of pills there as well, and bottles of alcohol were scattered in various locations of the office. It was clear Rocco didn’t actually do a lot of actual work in here.

That’s when he heard a noise from upstairs. It startled him at first, but eventually Sean pulled out his gun, and headed to the stairs. What if the person who did this was still in here, he thought? Or what if it was Rocco, and he was hurt? Sean wanted nothing more than to call the cops and let them deal with this, but as mob security, that was highly frowned upon. Frowned upon enough that he might end up in a similar shape to the bodies in the office, if he called them. So he had to go check it out on his own.

He made it up the stairs as quietly as possible, and turned into the first doorway on the right. There he saw something totally unexpected. It was Rocco, sitting on the bed.

“Rocco,” whispered Sean. “You okay?”

The man just sat on the edge of the bed in his boxers, black dress socks, and unbuttoned, white dress shirt. He looked showered, and clean, but he was just staring off at the wall in front of him, expressionless.

“Rocco,” repeated Sean, making his way to him. “You okay? What the fuck happened?”

Rocco finally turned to Sean, eyes glazed over like he wasn’t really there.

“She came home early,” he slurred in a monotone voice.

“What?” Asked an incredibly confused Sean. “Who?”

“Kelsie. She came home, and saw me with her,” he said, unblinking.

“With who?”

“Veronica.”

“Who’s Veronica?”

“My girlfriend,” said Rocco, finally meeting Sean’s eyes. “She said she was gonna leave me.”

“Is that who’s down there?” Asked Sean. “Kelsie and Veronica?”

Rocco nodded slowly, “She said she was gonna leave me.”

“Okay,” gulped Sean. “Just sit tight. Don’t move.”

Sean exited the room, and pulled out his phone. It rang three times before a gruff voice answered on the other end.

“Hello?”

“Mike,” said Sean. “We have a problem.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now

While the plan always was to kill Carlo, it was supposed to be after the heist. Their plan was to go to him, and take him out after he realized he lost everything. They wanted him to worry and suffer a bit first, but instead, he decided to show up here and ruin everything.

This was a mess, and the whole place was in a state of shock and confusion. Jess was screaming and crying at the sight of Richie, lying in Kate’s arms, blood covering his shirt, and dripping from the tiny hole in his forehead.

Kate was on her knees, cradling the man she loved, as he lay dead in her arms. His blood and other things were splattered all over her face, hair, and shirt. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she ran her fingers through his neat hair, and whispered his name.

Unlike Jess, Kate was well aware that a bullet to the head couldn’t actually kill Richie. But that knowledge didn’t really make it any easier actually seeing him like this. While Seth once shot Richie in the head, and saw him come back, Kate never had the luxury of actually seeing him come back. She had seen him beaten within an inch of his life, recover, and get beat again by Amaru’s henchmen. She had seen him get shot in the chest and stomach, bleed out, but heal quickly before he died. But Amaru never fully killed him while she was torturing him, and none of his other injuries were actually fatal. The closest she ever came to him dying was that wolf bite, but at least then he was just unconscious and still breathing.

Seeing Richie like this was awful. He was dead. The man that Kate loved more than anything was dead. He would come back, she thought, but he was still dead. And just the sight him, with his skull blown out, dead to the world, made her want to die too. 

Her everything hurt. The feel of his limp, lifeless body curled in her arms made her want to vomit. Is this what it would feel like to lose him, she thought. Like a hole was where her heart should be? Numb and lifeless, herself? She loved him so much, the thought of losing him was unbearable. 

She knew what he was, and always took for granted that he was strong, and could take so much more than any human, and still not die. All the pain he went through, all the suffering, but he always made it back, and never showed any signs of wavering. Hell, even as a human he suffered, but always seemed to keep going. When she met him, he had a gaping hole in his hand, lightly wrapped in a hotel towel. Walking around like it was no big deal to have the center of your palm shot out by a bullet. 

Kate knew Richard Gecko might have always been soft on the inside, but he was tough as nails on the outside. And as a Culebra, he would never age, never scar, and always be there for her. But what if he wasn’t?

As the group stared at Richie’s cold, dead form, Carlo and his goons walked closer. The sounds of their dress shoes could be heard clicking against the concrete of the warehouse floor as they approached. He brought three guys with him, the same three that took Sean into the woods all those months ago.

“Now that I have your attention,” Carlo bellowed. “I’ll be taking my truck, and my product back. I mean obviously we’re gonna kill you first, but I thought you should at least know before you die, that you fucked with the wrong guy.”

“How did you find us?” Asked Sean.

“Sean?!” He asked in surprise. “Is that you? So you did make it after all. I always wondered. Glad to see you’re alive.”

“Fuck you,” spat Sean.

Carlo smiled, “What? Not enjoying the gift we gave you?” He laughed at the spiteful look Sean was giving him. “To answer your question though. You think I don’t have eyes and ears all over? It wasn’t long before I was told it was spotted heading out this way. After that it was just some careful searching. Although the duplicate truck was a nice touch. Threw us off for a bit.”

The room was eerily silent as both sides stared each other down. 

Al tensed next to Sean, and he grabbed her wrist. He knew what she was thinking. She hated Carlo for doing what he did almost as much as he did. Plus he just shot Richie, and Sean knew how protective she was over the people she loved. And to top it off, he was threatening everyone else she loved. She wasn’t going to let that slide either.

“Sorry about your friend, Sean,” said one of the guys with Carlo, laughing. “But you understand, right? We can’t let this slide, not even for one of our own. You should have taken what we gave you, and just ran, but instead you chose to be stupid. So this is on you.”

“Revenge is a bitch, boy,” said the guy who turned Sean. “Although I’m glad to have the opportunity to take another crack at ya. This time, you won’t get up.”

Sean’s eyes began to glow with anger. His wolf was pushing through despite his best efforts to keep it at bay. A low, inhuman growl emanated from his throat. It was enough to turn both Kate’s and Seth’s heads. They never heard him make a sound like that before. They never even saw him in wolf form before, so it was easy to forget what he was. 

Jess heard it too, but she was still in too much shock seeing Richie laying there to have it really register. As far as she knew, they were all a bunch of normal people, and her friend was dead.

“Ohhhh,” smirked the other of the three goons. “Better put a muzzle on him, boys. This dogs untrained.”

All four of them laughed as Sean struggled to keep himself restrained.

“Enough of this chitchat,” said Carlo. “Sean, since you’ve betrayed me, I want you to have the luxury of watching all your friends die first. Then we’re gonna kill you. We’ll make it easy for the rest of them, but I’m gonna take my time with you.”

“Ehhh,” said Seth. “I don’t think so, Don Corleone. I have a better idea.”

“Oh yeah?” Smirked Carlo. “What’s that.”

“We’re gonna kill you, and your crew,” said Seth, gesturing at the group. “Then we’re gonna keep this truck, and everything in it.”

“And who the fuck are you?” Asked one of the goons.

“Me?” Asked Seth, pointing back at himself. “I’m Seth Gecko, motherfucker.”

Just then Richie took a deep breath and opened his eyes. Jess freaked out as he grunted and started to stand up. She saw the hole close up on his forehead, and heard the noise of bones and muscle repairing itself. 

It caught Carlo and his gang off guard. They had no idea what they were dealing with. Alessandra growled into her Vespertilio form, screeching an awful, hissing scream, as her fangs shifted into place. Sean growled next her, and immediately ripped off his clothes, getting down on all fours. His body shifted, shattering, and rebuilding, as thick, dark hair started sprouting from his skin. 

Seth watched in horror as Sean transformed before his eyes, something he had never seen before. To him, it looked so much more painful than what Richie or Al had to go through. He didn’t envy him, and was never more thankful that Al was there when he got shot with that wolf venom bullet. He could have turned into one of these things, and would have to go through that himself. God, it looked like it hurt, he thought.

He snapped out of it, and used this opportunity to remove his gun from the small of his back. He took a shot, hitting Carlo in the shoulder. That brought him and his goons back into it though, and they all followed in Sean’s footsteps, removing their clothes, and starting to shift into a pack of wolves.

“Richie,” whimpered Kate, amongst all that was going on.

“I’m fine, baby,” he said, looking at her in the eyes. Then he shifted into his Culebra form too, and remained blocking her.

It was then that he noticed Jess, paralyzed with fear, and shock. She had no fucking clue what was going on.

“Kate,” he hissed around his Culebra fangs. “Get that gun of yours out and go to Jess. You stay by her no matter what. You hear me?”

“But, Richie. . .”

“There’s no time to argue,” he snapped around his fangs. “Leave the fighting to us. You need to protect her. She’s panicking, and she shouldn’t be left alone. She needs you. Now!”

Kate ran to Jess’s side, pulling her gun out on the way, and clicking off the safety. She grabbed Jess by the wrist, and pulled her farther away from the action, keeping her behind her.

Richie was right, she looked like Kate did in the Twister, and she needed someone to help her through this. She remembered what it was like seeing this kind of stuff for the first time, and for her it was only Culebras. This was far more complicated.

By now, there was a fanged out Vespertilio, a fanged out Culebra, and five large wolves circling each other in front of the truck. And then there was Seth, wielding a gun in a room full of super powerful, supernatural creatures. He briefly thought about how fucked up his life really was, then shook it off.

Carlo himself was a black and grey wolf with yellow eyes, and long yellowing teeth. The rest of the pack varied in color, one pure black, one almost all white, and the other was more of a brownish color. He and his crew were pacing, snarling, and drooling, never taking their eyes off their prey.

With Sean now fully transformed, the group now saw his wolf for the first time. He was a beautiful, white and gray wolf, with a black ridge along his back. While all the wolves were big, well over one hundred pounds for sure, Sean looked to be the largest. He was taller, with long, lanky legs, and huge paws. Kate thought he was absolutely stunning. His growl was a low rumble, rippling through the warehouse, as he stared down Carlo. 

It wasn’t long before the group seemed to pair off. With Richie and Al each flanking Sean’s sides, they stood nose to nose with Carlo and his goons. Seth was off to the side still, not totally evacuating the area, but letting the more durable members on the team stand in the forefront. But black wolf seemed to be staring him down nonetheless. For whatever reason, he seemed to almost be smiling, like he enjoyed the idea of toying with Seth.

The staring subsided when one of Carlo’s guys broke form, lunging forward. Al stood at the ready, and prepared to fight. Shortly thereafter, the rest made their moves as well. with Sean going straight for Carlo.

Kate watched from the back, as Richie and Al, assisted only by their short blades, fought the large wolves in hand to hand combat. It was a dangerous game for both of them. One bite, and they would down for the count, inching closer to their deathbeds. 

Kate remembered the last time they encountered werewolves. She remembered holding Richie, as he shivered, sweat, and hallucinated, just waiting for the herbs to take effect, hoping it wasn’t too late. She knew Al brought more this time, she was always prepared. But if one of them was bitten during the middle of the fight, would they have enough time, or even the ability to administer it? She wasn’t sure.

She heard a mumbling behind her, which brought her attention back towards Jess. She was watching what was happening with eyes as big as saucers. Kate wasn’t sure it was all sinking in yet, it took her awhile when she first saw it too, but Jess seemed to be coming around somewhat.

“Jess,” she said. “You alright?”

Jess narrowed her eyes, briefly looked in Kate’s direction, then immediately back towards the action. She mumbled something that resembled ‘this isn’t real’, but Kate wasn’t one-hundred percent sure if those were her exact words.

“Jess,” yelled Kate. “Snap out of it! Stay with me. I know this is a lot to take in, but you need to be alert. That black one, he keeps looking over here. I don’t trust him. You got a gun on you?”

“No,” said Jess.

“A knife? Anything?”

“No,” she said, seeming to gain focus. “I left it on the table by the money.”

“Shit,” said Kate, under her breath. “Well keep an eye out, and be prepared to run.”

“What’s wrong with Richie?”

“Nothing’s wrong with him.”

“He was dead. I saw it. They. . . they shot him! In the head. I saw it! He was dead. Now he’s alive. And. . . and his face! That’s not him!”

“It is him,” said Kate, trying to get the freaking out Jess to stop panicking. “He’s the same boy you grew up with. The same man you’ve been hanging around with the last week. He’s just more than before. And be thankful he is, or he really would be dead.”

“Wha. . . what is he?”

“I’ll tell you later,” said Kate. “Right now, we’ve got to watch our backs. I don’t trust these guys.”

Seth had yet to get directly involved with his wolf. It was pacing, and snarling, staring him down, but only seemed to be messing with him. Seth was terrified. He would never admit it to anyone else, but this thing freaked him out. Fighting a Culebra or Vespertilio was a lot like fighting a human, just stronger. This was totally different. This thing had the strength, speed, and agility of a fucking wolf, he thought. Al and Richie might stand a chance, but there was no way he could wrestle with this thing and survive.

Sean and Carlo were fighting the most vicious fight of them all, rolling around, lunging, snapping, clawing, and biting down with full force. The horrible noises of dog fighting were filling the warehouse, growling, barking, and teeth snapping. Every once in awhile a whimper or whine sounded out above the mangled mess of gurgled grunts and panting. 

The brownish wolf Richie was fighting, yelped as he dug his blade into his side. But the wolf pulled away before he could dig it in deeper. He took only a second to recover from the blow before lunging back for him. 

Richie used his long legs to his advantage, kicking him in the chest in mid-air before he even got close. The wolf flew back, but quickly made it back on his feet, racing back at Richie with another attack.

Al was holding her white wolf off, as he had her pinned to the ground. She had her hands around his neck, keeping his dripping jaws from getting any closer.

Seth shot at the black wolf, narrowly missing it. That only seemed to piss him off. The wolf suddenly made a move to the left. But instead of making his way closer to Seth, he made a mad dash for Kate and Jess. Seth only had so much time to react when he saw what was happening. 

Richie’s wolf was now staring him head on, his lips snarled, showing long, sharp, white teeth. It was clear he meant business. Richie being Richie, gave him a ‘come at me’ gesture, and an overly confident smirk. The wolf lunged back at him.

Al was still on the ground with the white wolf on top of her. A shot rang out from behind her, and he wolf yelped, losing it’s bearings. Al could see a pinkish-red stain forming on it’s side. She had a second to look where the shot came from, and saw Kate aiming her gun her way. Al used the distraction to leap to her feet, and attack the injured wolf.

Sean and Carlo were still grappling, wolf on wolf. The blackish-grey Carlo seemed to have the advantage briefly, as he had Sean pinned to the ground by the throat. But Sean used his long, powerful legs, to kick his way out of the hold, making a quick lunge for Carlo’s backside. He grabbed Carlo, pulling him down.

The black wolf was running full speed at Kate and Jess. After Kate had shot the wolf that had Al pinned, she noticed that she, herself, was now in danger. She shot at the black wolf, missing with her first two shots. He was getting closer and closer. He was mere feet away when he jumped at them. 

Kate was preparing for the worst, when the wolf was knocked to the ground. Seth ran into him at full force, knocking him from the air, and knocking the wind from both of them, as they toppled to the ground.

Al now had her wolf in a headlock. She was gripping him tightly, as he tried to free himself from her death grip. He was whipping his head back and forth, snapping as he tried to get a piece of her.

The brown wolf was hurtling towards Richie, and ended up hitting him straight in the chest. Richie fought for control as they both fell to the ground. The wolf landed on top of him, but Richie was well versed in grappling, and managed to switch positions, catching the wolf off guard. 

Richie was now on top of the wolf as he laid on his side. He used his Xibalban blade to stab and slash at the wolf as it struggled with him. The wolf whimpered as he got in a few good slices. Then he finally managed to pin the wolf in such a way it left him open and vulnerable. He drove the blade through the wolf’s rib-cage, puncturing his lung. The wolf wheezed as he tried to breathe around the blood pouring into his lunges. That’s when Richie stabbed at him again, catching him in the heart. The wolf let out a long sigh, as he stopped moving.

Al now was pulling the white wolf’s head back by his muzzle. He was struggling for his life as Al relentlessly tried forcing his neck back. He was crying as Al placed her feet against his back, pulling with all her might. She pulled and pulled against the resisting wolf until an audible snap rang out, and the wolf stopped struggling all together.

Seth was still dazed and confused as the black wolf made his first move. He was on top of him within seconds, and it was pure instinct that made Seth grab for his neck. The wolf was snarling down at him, long rivulets of drool landing on Seth’s face, as he fought off his gigantic attacker. 

It was then that Jess finally seemed to snap out of it. Seeing Seth on the ground with a large, black wolf hovering over him, she knew he was in danger. Without even thinking about it, she was already on her way to him. She was weaponless, but determined. There was nothing that was going to stop her from saving him. He just risked his life for her, and she was going to return the favor in full.

Jess leapt for him, kicking the wolf full force in the head. The wolf was stunned briefly, as he tried to shake it off. That put him far enough away from Seth, that Kate felt comfortable making a move herself. She shot him clear between the eyes, and he fell forward. Blood splattered all over Seth, and Jess, who was now laying right next to him. Then the wolf fell right on top of him, but by the time he made contact, he was nothing but a limp, lifeless corpse. 

Sean had finally gotten a good grip around Carlo’s neck. He was shaking his head back and forth furiously, tearing at the flesh. A loud squeal was heard as Sean punctured something vital in Carlo’s neck. He was unable to move, but he was still breathing. He was awake enough to know this was the end. He was defenseless, and Sean was ruthless. 

He kept shaking his head back and forth, hot, red, blood now darkening his formerly white muzzle. Carlo continued to whimper as the life faded from his eyes. Sean was tearing at him, his throat was a bloody mess filled with punctures and torn flesh. 

Sean pulled away only after Carlo breathed his last breath. Then he looked down at him in defiance. Seeing his lifeless former boss, Sean tilted his head up, and howled.

Jess pushed the black wolf off of Seth, unburying him from the mound of fur and dead weight. He took a deep, gasping breath, as the full weight of the wolf left his chest.

“Well that was close,” he panted.

He was about to say something else, when Jess planted her warm, soft lips on his. She kissed him like she never kissed him before. It was strong, and passionate, filled with love and relief.

“I thought I was gonna lose you,” she breathed, as she pulled away.

“I’m harder to get rid of than you think,” he smiled back. “I’m surrounded by bloodsuckers on a regular basis, yet I manage to stay around.”

She gave a slight laugh, still unsure of the whole thing. That’s when Seth put his hand to her cheek, cupping it as he looked in her eyes. She gazed back into his with a longing he had never seen in them before.

She leaned back down to him, and kissed him one more time.

Al, who was bloody from scratches up her arm, was sitting next to Sean, still in his wolf form. He was still too worked up to shift back, and she understood. He was panting heavily next to her, mouth open, and tongue hanging to the side.

“It’s okay, baby,” she murmured, running her fingers through his thick coat.

He turned to her and whined. She smiled back at him, then patted him on the head, ruffling his ears.

“You know,” she said. “You’re kinda cute like this. Well, minus the bloody muzzle. It’s not a great look.”

He gave what sounded like the dog equivalent of a sigh, apparently not appreciating the humor in the comment at the moment.

“Don’t worry. We’ll take care of it. You did good, babe,” she paused, and smirked. “God, is it weird looking at a wolf, and calling it babe. I know you’re in there, and understand what I’m saying, but this is strange as fuck.”

He licked her face in agreement, and she chuckled.

“Stop,” she begged, as he licked her again. “You’re only making this weirder.” 

Kate ran to Richie, and leapt into his arms. She was crying. Not that she was scared, but because now that she really had time to think about, she almost lost him only a few minutes ago. She saw him die, and held his body. It was too much.

She looked deep into his beautiful, blue eyes. She could see his relief in them too. She kissed him, then. She gave him soft little pecks all over his face before finally making it to his soft lips. There, she kissed him fully.

It was then that Pauly and Roxy pulled up in the duplicate truck. They got out and ran over. 

“Is everyone okay?” Asked Roxy.

“What in the literal fuck happened here?” Asked Paul, as he looked around at the scattered bodies of four dead wolves. 

“Yeah,” said Seth. “About that. We need to talk.”


	13. Party's Over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tensions are still high as they wait to seal the deal, and Seth and the gang have some explaining to do.

Seth was trying to explain exactly what was going on to Jess, Paul, and Roxy. For starters, there were four dead wolves scattered about the warehouse. Then there was a huge, living one, sitting next to Al. She was petting it, and talking to it as it calmly sat there amongst a group of people. 

Jess saw everything that happened, but still really couldn’t believe it. It didn’t seem real to her, and it was a lot to process.

“Look,” said Seth. “I guess we should have told you guys from the beginning that there was more going on here.”

“What exactly is going on here, Seth?” Asked Paul.

“It’s hard to explain,” said Seth. “But the world isn’t as black and white as we thought. Those aren’t regular wolves. They’re werewolves.”

“What?!” Asked a skeptical Paul. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“It’s true,” said Jess. “I saw it. That’s Carlo and some of his guys.”

“And there’s more,” said Seth. “Richie, Al, why don’t you two show them what you are.”

“With pleasure,” said Al, leaving Sean and walking towards Richie. “Don’t freak out.”

“Freak out?” Asked Roxy, looking a little nervous.

Richie took a deep breath, then looked at Al. She nodded, then they both slowly changed before them. First it was their eyes that changed. Richie’s to their snake-like yellow, and Al’s to their amber. Then they both opened their mouths to show their fangs, hissing and growling their inhumanness. 

“What the fuck?” Breathed Roxy.

“Holy shit,” said Paul, mouth gaping. 

“Show them everything, Richie. Scales and all,” said Seth.

Richie obliged by fully shifting into his Culebra form, instead of his favored half shift with just fangs and snake eyes. Al on the other hand, only had one form, so she was always all or nothing.

“What the fuck are you?” Asked Paul, not like he was scared, but more confused and shocked.

“A Culebra,” said Richie, as he receded into his human form.

“And what exactly is that?” Asked Jess.

“A form of vampire,” said Al. “I’m the other kind, a Vespertilio.”

“Culebras are snake-like vampires,” said Richie. “Vespertilio are bat-like vampires.”

“That’s why they look different,” added Kate. “Richie has snake fangs, and Al has bat fangs. There’s some other differences too, but you get the jist of it.”

“Richie,” said a tentative Jess. “Can you do that again? I want to see it one more time. I’m trying to process this, but I. . . I can’t get over the fact that it’s you.”

Richie nodded, then went full snake one more time. 

Jess looked at him, just looked at him, studying his face. She could still see Richie under it all, but he was still so different. For whatever reason, actually seeing this in real life, and not a movie, wasn't scaring her. She thought it perhaps had to do with who it was that was standing before her. Richie, her sweet, childhood friend, although a literal monster, was still not intimidating to her. She knew him, and who he really was, so even though he looked like something out of a horror film, she couldn’t find it in herself to fear him.

“Would you mind. . .” she started. “If I. . . if I touch you?”

“No,” he said calmly, shrugging his shoulders.

Jess reached for his face, and gently ran her fingers over his scales. It was so weird, she thought. He actually felt like a snake, but his scales were much larger than a normal snake. He was coldish to the touch, which now that she was thinking about it, he seemed to be every time she hugged him. He didn’t seem to give off the same warmth as Seth or Kate, and now she knew why.

“Does it hurt when you change?” She asked.

“No.”

“Did it hurt when you became this?”

“Yes,” he hissed around his fangs. It was hard to form the ‘s’ sound around them.

“A lot?”

“More than you’ll ever know.”

That was news to Kate. She had never asked before, figuring it was kind of private. She squeezed his hand at the thought of how he suffered.

“What did it feel like?” Asked Jess, finally removing her hand from his face.

“Like my insides were dying,” he said, shifting back. “All my wounds healed rapidly, and it was uncomfortable as the flesh grew back. I had awful visions of the terrible things I did to get me there in the first place, and the feelings I was feeling as the people I hurt, hurt me back, felt real.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“I was a dead man,” he shrugged. “I fought with myself at the choice to accept the offer, or just die, but I wasn’t ready to die yet. So, in a way, I chose this. Even though I had no idea what I was walking into in the first place.”

“Was it the same for you?” She asked, turning to Al.

“Somewhat,” she shrugged. “I also was dying when the offer was made to me, but in a very different way. He was shot in the chest, I had consumption, or tuberculosis, I guess is a more common term nowadays. Mine was going to be a slow death, and I was at the end. I had suffered for months, yet I was still too afraid to die. I took the offer without question. And while I had no physical wounds that needed healing, my insides were decayed, and it was a truly awful feeling as I changed. I don’t regret it though. I’ve never regretted it.”

“Is it always painful?” Asked Jess.

“Yes,” said Al, matter of factly. “In varying degrees of course. The body has to go through a lot of changes to become something like us. It wasn’t meant to do so either. And poor Sean,” she said, pointing at the beautiful wolf still sitting in the same spot. “Has it the worst. His is always a full body transformation. Whereas mine and Richie’s is mostly face shifting, his bones and tissues have to completely adjust to form the body of a wolf.”

“That’s Sean?!” Asked Roxy.

Sean stood up at his name, and gave a little grunt of acknowledgement. 

Paul started laughing like he wasn’t believing it, “No fuckin’ way. Unreal.”

“Oh it’s real,” said Seth. “As much as I’d like it not to be, it most definitely is.”

“Sean,” said Al. “You think you could change back now? So they can see how it works?”

He gave a few, short, little barks that seemed to say yes.

“Okay,” she said. “Now, it’s not gonna be pleasant. You’re gonna hear skin pulling and ripping, and bones snapping and reforming. Most of you saw what he went through to get into this form to begin with, it’s the same, but in reverse. Mind you, he’s naked under that fur coat, so don’t make him self-conscious. Although,” she laughed. “Let’s be honest, he has nothing to be self-conscious about. Let me tell you.”

“Really, Al?” Asked Seth, in disbelief. “Right now. You want to talk about that right now.”

“Hey,” she said. “I’m giving my baby props where he deserves it. Plus I want him to know that he has nothing to worry about. He’s beautiful naked.”

Seth, Richie, and Kate all sighed and rolled their eyes. Even Sean gave what seemed to be a wolf sigh from his position a few feet away.

“What?” She asked.

A few, short seconds later Sean started whimpering and whining. His body hunched as the skin and bones started reforming, like Al said. It sounded God awful, just like Seth remembered. 

Before long his body was completely misshapen, not wolf, not human, but something in between. The awful noises continued as he slowly started looking more human, and his wolf-like whimpers turned more and more human. 

Kate had to turn away, putting her face into Richie’s shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her as she did. She thought she was going to throw up. He looked and sounded like he was in so much pain, she thought. She felt terrible for him. He didn’t ask for that, it was forced on him, and he had to go through that at least once a month. She wondered if that was something anyone could ever get used to, but thought there was no fucking way anyone could.

Sean was now a whimpering mess, all human, and lying on his side. Al walked over to him, got down on her knees, and put her hand on his shoulder.

“You okay, baby?” She whispered.

He gave a shaky nod as she helped him up. 

Seth had enough decency to grab the poor man’s clothes when he started looking human. He also didn’t want to watch anymore, so this gave him the perfect opportunity to look away.

He brought them to him, handing them to Al, who helped him into them. The rest of them gave them some privacy. Seth, and more so Richie, went on to answer any questions the rest of them had. Knowing that eventually Al and Sean would rejoin them, and could shed more light on the stuff they really couldn’t answer. Al was really good at that stuff anyway.

A half an hour later, they all pitched in in trying to get the place cleaned up. Pauly’s buyer would be there in a few hours to get the cocaine, and they didn’t want to explain the situation to him.

Al, Richie, and Sean disposed of Carlo and his gang. After death, they slowly started changing back into their human forms. They were naked, bruised, and torn up. They figured they could pass it off as some sort of mob torture hit. It wasn’t like the mob wasn’t known for taking things a little too far anyway.

While those three were doing that, the rest of them moved the coke into the duplicate truck, and repainted the sides white, covering the Greely logo. Then they all packed away some of the meat into their own cars. 

Al was loving that part, kept talking about how meat wasn’t cheap. Her inner chef was coming out in full swing, as she listed some of the things she could do with that beef and pork. Steaks, chops, ribs, pulled pork, and braised beef bolognese, were all mentioned. Sean’s mouth watered at the thought. Kate thought she even saw him drool a bit, she wondered if that was a little wolf still sticking with him.

When all that was done, Seth pulled Al aside to apologize for again jumping down her throat when things got serious. Last time he accused her of being a rat, this time it was sabotage towards his relationship with Jess. He felt guilty after all was said and done.

“I didn’t mean to insinuate that you were trying to. . . I don’t know, ruin things with Jess for me, or whatever. I know you disagreed with mine and Richie’s choice to leave them out, and I now see why, but I know you wouldn’t undermine me.”

“I would definitely undermine you,” she chuckled. “But not about that.”

“I hate fighting about stupid shit like that,” he said.

“It wasn’t fighting,” she corrected. “It was arguing. And arguing is a healthy part of any relationship. As long as it isn’t constant, that is. It shows that you have something worth fighting for. And I’d like to believe, no matter how fucked up this relationship we have is, it’s certainly worth fighting for.”

“You know,” he said. “I’ll always be there to argue with you.”

“I don’t doubt it,” she laughed. “You’re too big of a pain in the ass not to be.”

Seth chuckled at that, “Partners?”

“Partners,” she smiled back.

Meanwhile, Kate and Richie were outside having a discussion of their own. He was smoking as she sat quietly next to him. Then she finally had enough.

“Give me that!” She yelled through clenched teeth, ripping the cigarette from his hand.

She threw the half smoked stick on the ground, and stomped it out. Richie raised his eyebrows at the scene, but just looked on, not sure what to do. He could tell she was pissed about something, so he stayed quiet so he wouldn’t piss her off even more.

“I hate that you smoke,” she said, finally. “It’s a disgusting habit, and I don’t understand why you won’t quit. Do you ever think about me before you do stupid shit like that, Richie?”

“Smoke?”

“Like all the stupid shit you do,” she said snidely.

“What exactly are we talking about, Kate? I feel like smoking isn’t the real problem here.”

“This!” She said, waving her hands around. “All of this!”

“All of what?!”

“This job! You almost died, Richard. Or do I have to remind you? I’m sitting here, covered in your blood and brains and shit, from when someone blew your head open in front of me. I watched you die! I held your cold, lifeless body in my arms, Richard! Do you have any idea what that was like?”

“Watching the one you love die?” He asked bitterly. “Yeah. I have some experience with that. Or did you forget that?”

“That was different. And by the way, it again had to do with another one of your stupid plans.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!”

“You keep doing stupid shit like this, Richard. Risking your life, forgetting that you have people counting on you. People who need you. People who love you, and can’t live without you. Yet for some reason, as soon as a dangerous situation arises, you dive in head first. Like none of that even matters.”

“No, Kate. I don’t.”

“Yes you do, Richard,” she spat back. “I love you. I want to be with you. I need you. I don’t want to worry about this shit, not knowing if you’re gonna be here tomorrow because you feel the need to steal a fucking truck of cocaine, or rob a bank, or need to prove something. Or whatever the fuck reason it is that you act like this. Like you have some sort of death wish. I told you from the beginning that I thought this was a bad idea, but you wouldn’t listen to me. There was no stopping you, you were gonna pull off this job because you wanted to. Like you need this, more than anything. Like you won’t be happy without that kind of thrill in your life. Like this, us, isn’t enough. Like you’ll always need more.”

“Where are you getting this?” He interrupted.

“I refuse to keep putting myself through this over and over,” she continued, pretending he hadn’t said anything at all. “I’m done playing these games with you, Richard. I need a stable boyfriend. One I can count on to be there for me. One who isn’t so quick to risk his life for money or glory. I want something that lasts, not something that I have to constantly worry about losing. I don’t think I can watch you die again. I can’t stand having the feeling I did when I saw you lying there, the feeling of wanting to die rather than being without you. You have to realize how important you are to me, how important this relationship is to me. The days of your single life are over, Richard. There’s two of us you need to think about now. The decisions you make affect both of us. Unless that’s not what you want?”

“You know that’s not true, Kate. You know I love you.”

“Do I? ‘Cause it seems like this isn’t working for you. Like you can’t move on. Like you want to continue living this careless life you had with your brother before we met, robbing banks, and getting into shootouts. I love you, both of you. But things have to change. How many times do either of you have to nearly die before you see that? This is dangerous, and yeah, I get it, the thrill is appealing. But you guys need to grow up at some point. How dangerous is too dangerous? What’s the point you guys realize you’ve gone too far? When one or both of you is dead? Is that it? You guys have a life now, a real life, with a steady place to live, a business of your own, people who love you, and more money than you know what to do with. You have me. Why is that not enough?”

“Is that what you want, Kate? That we stop pulling jobs? That I focus on running Jacknife Jed’s and the other bars?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because it isn’t safe, Richie,” said Kate, as tears started to roll down her cheeks. “Because I love you, and I don’t want to lose you. If anything has proved to me that this just can’t keep working like you want it, it was watching you die tonight. It hurt. It still hurts. I can’t lose you, Richie. And if we keep risking it, eventually it will happen. You’re not immortal. You can die, and I can’t watch it happen. I love you too much.”

“Okay,” he said, looking her in the eyes, feeling a twinge in his soul seeing her cry. “I won’t. We won’t. If that’s what you really want, then we’re done. No more jobs. No more bank robberies, no more heists, no more hits, nothing. I want you, Kate. I love you. And if this is how I keep you in my life, if this is what will make you happy, then you have my word that I’m done with it.”

“Really?”

“Yes really,” he said, putting his arms around her. “Come here.”

Kate wrapped her arms around him, and buried her face in his chest. She never wanted to lose this.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Paul’s buyer came a few hours later to a sparkling clean warehouse. Seth, Richie, and Sean stood by as bodyguards slash intimidation, as he worked the deal. With a little negotiation, everything went rather smooth. The guy didn’t even question where is came from, it appeared that making a huge profit on this coke was the only deciding factor at play.

The buyer agreed to pay what they asked for, and sent one of his guys to retrieve a black, leather briefcase from his car. When he got back, Richie set it on the table, propped it open, and gave it a quick count.

Upon seeing it was all there, he nodded back at the group. Paul shook the guys hand, and nodded to Seth, who gave him the keys to the truck. They gave it to him free of charge.

A short while later, the buyer, and the cocaine were gone, and this night was finally over with. They gathered up the money, separated it out between them, and left the warehouse. Before they left though, Al announced that she was planning on making reservations tonight as a celebration of a job well done. Dinner was her treat. They agreed to meet up later for dinner, and they were off.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Al had made reservations at the Berghof, one of her favorites. She informed the group that she had been going there since prohibition, which sparked a lengthy conversation about how old she really was. 

Jess actually found the whole thing really cool now that she was getting used to the idea of a world filled with Culebras, Vespertilio, and werewolves. While she, like Seth, had no interest of actually becoming a part of this supernatural community, she accepted it was just part of life now. She was also well aware that she shouldn’t go around telling people about it, for fear of either ending up in a mental hospital, or telling the wrong person who would shut her up permanently. Al had warned them all that there were people out there who wanted it kept a secret at all costs. It apparently was a huge debate in the supernatural community, and they wouldn’t want to get caught up in that if they could avoid it.

Dinner was going really well, the food was fantastic, and so was the conversation. Richie and Kate seemed to be back in the spirit of things, with their fight from last night truly behind them. Paul and Roxy seemed to loosen up as the night went on, Sean was laughing, and Al was Al. Seth and Jess seemed to be having a particularly good time.

With all the events that happened over the last week, their relationship took a turn. They were giggly, and flirty with each other throughout dinner. Giving each other lusty eyes, and touching each other frequently. Something both Kate and Al noticed, giving each other a grin at the sight.

When they finished their meals, and were waiting for everyone else, Seth leaned in close to Jess, whispering something in her ear. He then excused himself a few minutes later, stating he had to use the little boy’s room. Just before they got ready to order dessert, Jess also excused herself.

When she turned the corner to the restrooms, there he was, nonchalantly leaning against the wall. His face lit up with a sexy, confident grin as she approached. 

She leaned into him, running her hands up his chest before holding his shoulders. His hands found her hips, and their lips met in a warm, and sensual kiss.

Before long, it grew kind of heated, too heated for a public restaurant hallway. Seth took her hand, and let her to the men’s room. She followed no questions asked.

He checked the stalls, making sure they were all empty before he pulled her in behind him. He locked the door, and leaned her against it. They made out with a passion, like they were dying for each other’s touch. His hands ran up her sides, and hers ran through his short hair.

Jess moaned into Seth’s mouth, then pulled away and breathed, “I want you,” along his lips.

“Yeah?” He questioned.

“Yeah,” she responded with a smirk.

“I’ll be gentle,” he said, reminiscent of their first encounter years ago.

“Don’t be,” she smiled back.

He gave her a wild smirk before diving back in for a fierce kiss. His hands slid down her legs, then pushed her skirt up. He traced his fingers along her, finding her wet with need. She moaned at the light contact to her most sensitive area.

Jess moved her hands to Seth’s pants, unzipping him, and finding him hard and ready. She slid her hand along him, forcing him to make a moan of his own. She pulled him out, thinking to herself that he looked just the way she remembered him looking.

As he entered her, she thought to herself how he felt the way she remembered him feeling too.

Seth rocked his hips back and forth while kissing her neck and shoulders. She moaned for him, clinging to him as he picked up his pace. God, she felt good, he thought. So fucking good. Like he was home for the first time in years, where he belonged. The way she moaned his name sent shivers down his spine, and he found himself struggling to hold on, a problem he had never had before.

Jess was there in minutes, rolling over the edge. She bit his neck to muffle her scream. He felt so good, deep inside her, filling her. It was what she needed all along, him. 

Seth followed mere seconds after she bit down, grunting a final thrust into her, burying himself all the way in. His hot seed spilled inside her, and they panted together against the door. He held her like that until they both calmed down, then she slid down his body. He kissed her again, full of passion. 

Jess smiled as she pulled away, “That was better than I remember.”

“I’ve had a little time to practice,” he chuckled.

“Let’s get back out there before they get suspicious,” she said, taking his hand.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was Sunday, the day before Kate, Seth, and Richie were leaving. Sean and Richie made true of their promise to make the girls dinner before they left. Even Seth joined in, and invited Jess, who would be bringing her daughter, Emily. It would be the first time he would be meeting her, and he was slightly nervous to meet the six-year-old.

Richie and Sean put together this whole, extreme menu for dinner, but wanted it to be a surprise, so they told the girls they had to leave for the afternoon. Dinner was at six, and they weren’t allowed back until then.

Al laughed at their seriousness, gave Sean a big kiss, and invited Kate, Jess, and little Emily out for a day in the city. She took them to a salon down the street from her cafe, where they enjoyed mani-pedis on Al. 

It was the first time Emily ever had anything done like that, and she got a real kick out of it. She chose the brightest shade of pink Al had ever seen for her nails, but she was adamant that it was the only color she wanted. She wasn’t shy at all, easily fitting in with the three woman. Al and Kate loved the little conversations they had with her, telling Jess she was adorable and so grown up. 

Jess laughed, “She came out like that. Had full conversations by the time she was three. The words she used would surprise me. I have no idea where she learned some of them, but she always knew how to use them correctly. Sometimes I think her vocabulary is better than mine, and she reads at a fifth grade level even though she’s only in first grade.”

“Oh,” said Al, turning to the little girl. “You like to read, huh?”

“I love reading,” replied a smiling Emily. “It’s the most fun in the world.”

“Well, what if I told you that I own a whole store full of books? We can go there after our nails dry, and you can pick out anything you want from the shelves.”

“Really?!” She shouted in pure elation. “Mommy, can we?”

“Of course we can, sweetheart.”

When they left the salon, Emily nearly pulled off Jess’s arm as she raced to Al’s store.

“It’s not going anywhere, Emily,” said Jess, trying to calm her down.

After they stepped inside, Al directed Jess to the small, kids section of the shop, then walked over to Sean’s sister, Jackie, at the counter.

“Hey, Al,” she smiled. “How’s my baby brother? I hear he’s cooking you dinner tonight?”

“That he is,” chuckled Al. “Kicked us out because it’s a surprise.”

“Sounds like something he would do,” she laughed back.

“Would you mind whipping us up four hot chocolates?” Asked Al.

“Sure thing,” she said, turning around to get them started.

Al and Kate took a seat in one of the booths along the wall. A few minutes later the hot chocolate arrived, and Jess brought a bouncing Emily over to the table. She was carrying five, new books in her arms.

“I told her just one, but she can’t decide,” laughed Jess.

“Take ‘em all,” said Al, waving it off.

“You sure?”

“Anything for another avid reader,” she smiled. Then she looked at what Emily had in her hands. “Holes, that’s a good one. And The Secret Garden, that’s a classic. Have you ever read any Harry Potter?”

“No. What’s that?” She asked.

“Oh, well they’re fascinating stories about a young boy who finds out he’s a wizard. He’s sent away to a school for boys and girls just like him, but he somehow finds himself in grave danger.”

“What’s a wizard?” Asked Emily.

“Someone who can do magic.”

“I like magic! Is he like a witch?”

“Why yes he is.”

“We read Matilda over Christmas break, and she loved it,” said Jess.

“Is that so? I’ll get some Harry Potter before we leave,” winked Al. “I think you’ll like it.”

They sat down and enjoyed their hot chocolate. Kate was surprised how good Al was with children. She was a super perv in most aspects of her life, but never mentioned anything remotely Al-like around Emily. She seemed to be enjoying having a simple conversation with the child. Talking about books, things she learned at school, and her dreams of one day becoming a teacher. It never occurred to Kate until then, that Al might actually like kids. It was weird to see, but it made her smile nonetheless.

While Al continued her conversation with Emily, Kate and Jess talked about the Geckos. Kate asked Jess about Seth, and what was going on with them.

“I don’t know,” said Jess, blushing. “It’s something, that’s for sure. There’s this chemistry between us that’s way stronger than it was when we were kids. I’m not sure what that means yet, though.”

“Do you want to keep seeing him? I think he wants to keep seeing you. I mean it’s not like he would tell me such a thing,” she giggled. “But I get this feeling he does.”

“I’d like to, but we live so far apart.”

“Al lives the same distance, and we still manage to have a solid friendship. I bet you guys could make it work. Besides, you’re from Texas right?”

“Yeah, Houston.”

“Ever thought about moving back?” Asked Kate with a wink.

“Maybe,” said Jess, all shyly. “Today’s been great, don’t you think? Emily’s having tons of fun. I can’t wait for this dinner the boys have got cookin’ for us.”

“Yeah,” smiled Kate. “Me too. This was fun, but I almost called it quits this morning though.”

“Why’s that?”

“I was so sick. I didn’t think I was gonna make it. I think I’m still all riled up from Thursday night. I can’t seem to shake it. Seeing Richie like that really messed with me. I’m been on and off nauseous ever since. And crying like an idiot out of nowhere if I even think about it.”

“It was a lot to take in, that’s for sure. I’m just glad he’s okay.”

“Me too. I told him I was done with stuff like that. That I wanted him to stop too.”

“What did he say to that?” Asked Jess.

“He said if that’s what made me happy, then he’s done with it too.”

“You believe him?”

“I do,” said Kate. “He wouldn’t lie to me about that.”

“He’s always been honest, brutally honest even,” smirked Jess. “So I’m sure he wouldn’t.”

\---------------------------------------------------------

The girls would be back in less than an hour, and the guys were frantically finishing up in the kitchen. 

Richie was in charge of making filet mignons that they took from the meat truck. He first seared them in herbed butter in Al’s cast iron skillets, and was now baking them to perfection in the oven. His roasted potatoes were also looking good.

Sean made a spectacular looking, fancy salad with spinach and arugula, and a homemade balsamic vinaigrette, that he knew Al would be proud of. He even made cheesy, garlic rolls from scratch, using one of her own recipes. 

Even Seth was helping in the kitchen. He was in charge of the green beans, admittedly the easiest task, but he chose it because it was difficult to screw that up. He was also sent out to get toppings and ingredients to make brownie sundaes for dessert. That made him feel a little more useful.

When they girls finally arrived back at Al’s, Kate was exhausted. She flopped down on the couch, and tossed her feet up, throwing her arm over her eyes to block the light.

“You feeling okay?” Asked Jess.

“Yeah,” said Kate. “I’m just tired, and have a little headache. Probably side effects from this morning.”

“Or maybe something else completely,” chuckled Jess.

“What do you mean?”

“The things you keep telling me remind me of how I felt when I was pregnant with Emily. Nausea, exhaustion, fatigue, headaches, mood swings. I had them all. Maybe you’re pregnant.”

“Ha!” Laughed Kate. “No way. Don’t try to freak me out like that.”

“Just sayin’,” shrugged Jess.

Shortly thereafter, they all sat down to the feast the guys whipped up. It was a delicious looking spread, and it tasted better than it looked.

But all through dinner, Kate thought about that little comment. That short sentence ran through her head over and over. ‘Maybe you’re pregnant,’ she said. No, thought Kate. That’s not possible. She would know anyway. It was just all the stress of the last few days hitting her.

But when was her last period? She honestly couldn’t think when it was. Now that she was really thinking about it, it had to have been a while ago. Hers have not been consistent since the whole Amuru thing. It wasn’t every four or five weeks like it used to be. Sometimes it was like three weeks later, sometimes it was more like six or seven. But seriously, she thought. When was it?

The last time she could remember was the week after Valentine’s day. She remembered being worried that it was going to happen on Valentine’s day because it had already been five weeks. She thought that would ruin their first Valentine’s day together, because she was totally not into sex when she had her period. But it luckily came after. Was that the last time she got it?

Shit! Holy shit, she thought. That was over two months ago. It was actually leaning towards ten weeks at this point. As irregular as they have been in the last three years, they were never that irregular. Could she be? No, she thought. There was no way. Although they never used protection. But could she even get pregnant?

Dinner went by quick after that. And as much as Kate tried to stay involved in conversation with everyone. She was only half listening. Something Seth and Al were quick to point out. But she laughed it off, not wanting to share what was truly bothering her.

Instead, she quietly sat by, watching Seth bond with Emily over a game of tic-tac-toe. She did briefly see Jess was smiling over Emily’s shoulder watching them get along. And even though Kate was in and out the rest of the night, she could see Seth was really trying. It seemed that having a good relationship with Jess’s only child was important to him. Maybe there was hope for them after all. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next afternoon, the gang was heading back to Houston. The car was all packed up, and everyone was hugging everyone goodbye. Al promised Kate that she and Sean would both be coming out in about a month to celebrate both Richie’s and Seth’s birthdays. Then they were off.

They decided that this time they would be driving straight through. Minus stopping for food and bathroom breaks, they would not be stopping. No sleeping in another hotel bed for them. Seth would drive during the day, and Richie at night. 

After stopping for breakfast the next morning, Seth hopped back in the driver seat. Richie, who was up all night, was exhausted, and spread out in the back seat. Kate was in the passenger seat, and was trying to get a little more shuteye. She always found it difficult to stay asleep in a car.

She looked back at him, out cold, and again wished she could be laying with him. That’s when she thought to herself, why not? She unbuckled herself and started climbing back to him.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?!” Asked a started Seth, and she squeezed between the seats.

“I wanna lay with my boyfriend,” she replied.

“Where exactly do you think you’re gonna lay? It’s not that big of a back seat.”

“Right here,” she said, climbing on top of Richie, resting her head on his chest.

Richie woke up at the sudden contact, “Katie?”

“Hey, baby,” she smiled up at him.

“Hey,” he smiled back.

Then Kate laid her head back against his chest, and fell asleep only moments later. He was really comfortable to lay on.

“You guys look ridiculous, you know that?” Asked Seth, looking in the rearview mirror.

Richie shot him a finger between the seats before falling back asleep himself.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few days later, Kate had the day off. She used the afternoon to run to the store to pick up a few things. Those things happened to include a pregnancy test, because she couldn’t stop thinking about it since Jess brought it up. She figured it would give her peace of mind seeing that she wasn’t pregnant, otherwise it would just keep eating at her.

She snuck it inside, past Seth, who asked where she had been. She managed to casually tell him she had to pick up lady things at the store, knowing he hated talking about cycles and tampons.

She waited for Richie to wake up, and make his way to the bar floor, before she headed to their bathroom. She didn’t want him anywhere around when she took the test.

Waiting the few minutes for the results was killing her. It seemed much too long to have someone wait for such a thing. But finally something appeared on the little, digital screen. One, bold print word stared her in the eyes.

“Fuck,” she sighed.


	14. Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After they get home, all Hell breaks loose. Feelings, so many feelings.
> 
> Tidbit: After seeing the results on the test, Kate freaked out. How could that be right? So she decided just to go back and grab a backup, just to verify the results. Back in the aisle full of little boxes, and not knowing which one to get this time, she ended getting three more backups because she wanted to be sure. This wasn’t something to be taken lightly.

After seeing the results on the test, Kate freaked out. How could that be right? So she decided just to go back and grab a backup, just to verify the results. Back in the aisle full of little boxes, and not knowing which one to get this time, she ended getting three more backups because she wanted to be sure. This wasn’t something to be taken lightly.

Now she was back in her bathroom holding all three, little sticks, from three different brands. After waiting the painstakingly long few minutes to get the results, all three had the same word on their little, digital screens. It was official, she was pregnant. 

Well damn, she thought. This was totally unexpected. How did that happen? Well of course she knew how it happened, she wasn’t stupid, but shit. Really? They hadn’t even been together a year yet, and she was already pregnant. They weren’t even married, and she always thought she would be before she even considered having a baby. Her father would be rolling in his grave at the very thought. If he wasn’t already just knowing it was Richie’s to begin with, married or not.

How was she going to tell Richie, she thought. They had never really discussed kids before. Sure they had that brief conversation when they were at Al’s, but it really wasn’t a serious conversation. In reality, it was more of a statement than a conversation anyway. And it didn’t really make things any easier, now that she found herself in that very predicament.

She knew Richie was well aware of how much she liked and wanted kids, she talked about them all the time. But what about him? She couldn’t be sure what his reaction would be to the news, because she didn’t even know how he felt about having kids in the first place. He would be surprised at first for sure, but then what? Did he even really want kids? She never really even heard him talk about kids before in general, let alone if he ever thought about having any. She wasn’t even sure she’d ever seen him really interact with a kid before.

Seth was the one that talked about kids, like deep down he actually wanted them, but Richie never did. Seth was even playing with Emily a few days ago, and looked like he was actually having fun. But did Richie even really talk to Emily? Kate knew he didn’t play any of the games Seth played with her, but she couldn’t remember if she saw him interact with her at all. But she was so out of it, thinking about this very moment, that she couldn’t be sure. Did he even like kids?

She knew Richie loved her, and she loved him, so she was hoping he would be excited. They were having a baby together after all. How could that be a bad thing? Besides, hadn’t he told her just the other day that he wouldn’t mind that happening with her? That was what he meant, right? That the thought of having kids with her didn’t sound like a bad idea? Maybe that was his way of telling her he had actually thought about it before. It had to be. Right?

Kate had already decided long ago that Richie was the man she was going to spend her life with. She always felt that he felt the same. This was just another step towards always being together, starting a family. But were they ready for that? She was so young, and he was so. . . Richie. The brief picture she was now seeing of Richie holding a baby at arms length, made her laugh. She couldn’t imagine him as anything but awkward about it.

Back to reality, Kate always thought she would be older when she started a family, but she already found the love of her life, so what did her age really matter? If they were meant to be, none of that other shit mattered at all. They were happy, and they would stay that way, but with one, little addition. 

She still couldn’t shake that nagging thought in the back of her head though, the one questioning if he even really wanted kids. He said he wouldn’t mind it, not that he wanted it. What the Hell did that even mean anyway? Whatever he meant by that, it didn’t really matter now though, they were having one whether they were prepared or not. 

The more Kate thought about it, the more excited she became at the idea of having a baby with Richie, and her heart began to flutter. He was the man she loved with all her being, and now he was also going to be the father of her child. Maybe even the three or four children she always dreamt of, with at least one boy and one girl. Oh my God, she thought. This was really happening. She was about to start a family with Richie. She was absolutely giddy with delight at the thought. She was going to have a baby with the only man she ever loved, and she couldn’t stop smiling.

Kate made up her mind, she had to tell him tonight. While at first she was truly freaked out, now she was actually incredibly happy about it, and she just knew he would be too. They were having a baby together! Visions of that goofy ear to ear grin of his filled her head, well after the look of pure shock that she imagined he would wear first. She just had to get him alone, so she could give him, what she was thinking more and more as, the good news. 

A few hours of courage building later, she found him alone in his office going over books. He looked so cute being a businessman, she thought. Sitting behind his big, wooden desk in his suit and tie. She could see the crease in his brow as he worked hard, going over the numbers. It made her smile. He wasn’t just the thief that used her family to escape into Mexico anymore. He was a small business owner, and he was good at it. He was trying to give them a safe, steady, and carefree life. And best of all, it made him happy to have something to call his own, and a place to call home. She was elated to be a part of that home, and couldn’t wait to raise their baby in it too.

“Why so serious,” she laughed as she walked over to him.

Richie lifted his head and smiled at the sound of her voice, “Hey, baby.”

Kate walked around the desk and sat in Richie’s lap, giving him a peck on the cheek as she did, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“What’s got my big, strong, sexy boss all worked up?”

“Your boss, huh?”

“Well,” she said, giving him a sly smile. “You are the owner of this establishment, and I do happen to work here.”

Richie chuckled, “And you think it’s appropriate to come into your boss’s office, and sit on his lap like this? You’re a naughty, little girl, Katie.”

Kate giggled back, “You have no idea.”

“I think I might have some,” he chuckled.

“Would it be even more naughty of me to do this?” 

She took his hand and placed it over her breast, squeezing it, then ran her fingers through his perfectly placed hair, messing it up. She kissed him roughly, moaning into his mouth as he started massaging her breast. His other hand ran up her thigh, leaving trails of heat in its path.

Richie let off a soft growl from the back of his throat that totally turned Kate on. It was primal, intense, and aggressive. She loved when he made that noise, it always got her so wet. Then she remembered why she came in here to begin with. She didn’t have time for this, and if she didn’t stop now, there was no turning back.

Kate broke the kiss suddenly. Richie’s glazed eyes rolled open at the abrupt absence of her lips on his. He looked totally confused, and Kate could tell he wanted more. She shifted on his lap, and felt just how ready he already was. Damn this was going to be difficult, she thought. She wanted him so badly, and he clearly wanted her just the same, but she had more important things to do at the moment. Like tell him she was carrying his child. 

She hopped off his lap, there was no way in Hell she could concentrate like that. Plus it didn’t seem like the right place to deliver this particular message. She was so nervous all of a sudden, she started pacing around his desk. This was big news.

Richie grunted at her absence, but seeing the way she was acting, he was generally concerned by her odd behavior, “What’s wrong, Katie?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” she said, biting her lip. “I just have something to tell you. Something big.”

“Okay?” Questioned Richie, raising his eyebrow.

Kate took a big breath, let it out, and went for it, “I’m pregnant.”

Richie just sat there, unblinking. Kate couldn’t even be sure he was even still breathing, he was sitting there so still.

“Did you hear me, Richie?” She asked. “I’m pregnant. We’re having a baby.”

A grunt was his only response, the playful smile from only a moment ago was now turned into a deep, pondering frown.

“Is that all you have to say?” Asked Kate, truly frazzled by his response. “I tell you I’m pregnant, and all you can do is grunt at me? You’re not even looking at me, Richie.”

“What exactly did you want me to say, Kate?” He spat.

“I don’t know,” she said, getting a little upset at his tone. “I was hoping you’d be happier about it.”

“And why the fuck would I be happy about that?!” Yelled Richie, getting up out of his chair, hitting his fist hard against his desk, sending a small fracture running through it.

Kate flinched at the sound of the splintering wood. She was terrified at his apparent anger over the news of their unborn child. It was rare that she saw him lose his cool like that, and never before with her. She never even thought that in a million years, that her sweet, sweet Richie, would respond this way to finding out they were having a baby. Unplanned or not. She was hurt, and fighting back tears.

“Because I love you, and you love me,” she choked as a response. “And I know it’s unexpected, but we’re having a baby together.”

“See but there’s the problem,” he spat. “You’re having a baby, Kate. Not we. You. Whose is it, Kate? Huh? Is it Seth’s?”

“What?! No!” She shouted back. “Why would you think that?”

“Because I can’t have kids, Kate!” He yelled back. “So it’s not mine! Or did you forget that when you came up with this little cover story to hide what you did?”

That statement hit Kate like a slap in the face. She wasn’t thinking about that. How could she forget such a major detail? She was so wrapped up in the emotional whirlwind of finding out she was pregnant, that she never even thought about that. He couldn’t have kids, she knew that. 

One time, after Kate started dating Richie, she was talking about one day having a family, and that’s when Kisa brought it up. And even though she always wanted a family of her own, Kate decided she was okay with that because she loved him more than anything. She even daydreamed about adopting a baby with him some day. Even if they couldn’t have a baby of their own, that didn’t mean they couldn’t have a family together. Scott was adopted, and he felt every ounce as much a member of the family as her parents did. 

But Kate was pregnant, and this was Richie’s baby, she was sure it was. She hadn’t been with anyone else, so it had to be his. So somehow they were having a baby of their own.

“It’s not Seth’s or anyone else’s, Richie,” cried Kate. “It’s yours. It’s ours. I know it is.”

“That’s impossible!” He shouted. “How could you do this to me?!”

“I didn’t do anything, Richie! I love you, and only you. I haven’t been with anyone else. I swear. I don’t know how, but this is your baby.”

“I don’t believe you,” he choked, clearly fighting back tears himself. “Why, Kate? Am I not enough for you? Am I not good enough to you? Do I not make you happy?”

“You are, Richie, and you do. You’re everything to me. I love you.”

“I don’t wanna hear it!” He yelled. “I love you, Kate. And you’re standing here, carrying some other man’s baby, telling me that it’s mine. Lying to me. To my face! I know I can’t have kids, Kate. Culebras can’t have kids. I don’t understand why you would tell me you love me if you clearly want somebody else. Do you really want to hurt me that badly?!”

“No! I would never want to hurt you, baby. I do love you, Richie!” Sobbed Kate. “You’re the only man I’ve ever loved. I don’t want anybody else. I want you. This is your baby. I don’t know how, but it is. I’m not lying to you. I don’t even know why you think I could do something like that. Richie,” she said moving towards him, crying her eyes out, “You’re breaking my heart.”

“I’m breaking your heart?!” Yelled Richie around the tears welling from the bottom of his soul. “How the fuck do you think I feel?!” He cried, yanking his arm from her grasp. “I love you with all my heart. I know it’s not much, but I give you everything I’ve got, and. . . and this! It’s not enough, is it? I’ll never be good enough for you, will I? I always knew that, but I never expected this. Not from you. I thought you really loved me, but you can’t, can you?”

“I do really love you, Richie,” pleaded Kate.

Richie continued to talk over her like she wasn’t even speaking at all, “How could I ever be stupid enough to think that you could? How could someone like you, ever love someone like me? I’d do anything for you, Kate. Anything! You are my world. My everything. The sun to my moon. The only one who could ever hurt me like this, and I let you play me for a fool. I can’t even look at you right now. I trusted you. I loved you! And still you could do this to me?!”

Richie made a move for the door then. He yanked it open and stormed out, unable to deal with the intense anger and sadness he was feeling. The door flung into the wall, sending a crack through it nearly to the ceiling, and then hung by it’s last intact hinge. His world was shattering around him. There was a hole where is heart used to be, and he didn’t know how to patch up a wound that large. 

Of all the shit he had been through in his life, the thought of Kate cheating on him with another man, was more than he could take. He could be routinely beat by his father, watch the girls in school whisper and laugh when they saw him, live alone in the woods for five years slowly going insane, kill people, die, become a monster, and be tortured by the Queen of Hell, but he could never lose Kate. His heart couldn’t handle it. The sheer knowledge that he couldn’t keep her happy was killing him. It was all he ever wanted to do, but he wasn’t good enough. And the thought of how happy she made him, when he couldn’t reciprocate the feeling for her, was just too much to bear.

“Richie” yelled Kate, as he walked away from her. She fell to the ground, sobbing in a heap on the floor of his office.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seth walked in from the garage at the back of Jacknife Jed’s with a huge smile on his face. He just spent the last hour and a half on the phone with Jess, and he couldn’t be happier. Well, unless she was here with him, then he would be happier. 

After their bathroom quickie at the Berghoff, they hadn’t had another opportunity for any other alone time, but that didn’t change the feelings they had for one another. Being together the last week and a half brought back a flood of memories for both of them. Call it nostalgia, but Seth was craving something familiar and real, and Jess certainly was that.

He had been with many different women in his life, but none of them ever really filled the void. Not even Vanessa managed to, and he married her. Seth was so desperate for love, and fulfillment, that he jumped at the opportunity to make her his wife. He was so young at the time though, he had no idea what it was that he truly was looking for. Sure she was smokin’ hot, the sex was amazing, and she was not only okay with his lifestyle, but also participated in it, but she was completely wrong for him. She hated Richie and was always trying to separate them, and she always tried to change Seth into what she wanted in a man. It would have never worked out.

Jess was different from Vanessa in every way. She was an old friend, someone he always got along with. Someone he had lots of fun with, and who really understood him. The best part about Jess was that she loved and respected Richie as much as Seth did, which was different from any other woman he had ever been with. She would never want to separate them, or change them in any way. She was perfect.

Maybe it was the fact that he was getting older, or maybe it was because even Richie seemed to be settling down, but Seth was feeling it too all of a sudden. It was a little scary, but he knew deep down inside he always wanted to settle down, at least on some level. Hell, it was part of the reason he married Vanessa to begin with. He wanted a family of his own, and was trying to make it work with her.

It was different with Jess though, she didn’t seem forced. He felt relaxed around her, safe even. When he was younger, he hadn’t really seen it. Sure, he liked her, thought she was cute, but she was Pauly’s younger sister, and a friend, and you don’t sleep with your friends. So he never did anything about it.

He eventually admitted to himself he was a bit jealous of Richie when he ran into them that night, him sitting on the couch, with her on her knees in front of him. That was the moment that brought his feelings for her to the front, and why he eventually decided to make a move himself. At the time Seth never intended it to be more than a fling, he planned on leaving anyway, and felt it wasn’t good to get too involved. And that’s exactly what it became, a fling. 

After he actually left though, Seth regretted it. Not that he would have ever told Richie that. He wasn’t even going to tell him that anything happened between them. He told Richie it was wrong of him to do that very thing, so how could he admit he had gone and done it himself. They were on the road now, doing what they always wanted to do, and he couldn’t let a girl get in the way of his destiny. 

Years went by before the regular thought of her slowly slipped from his mind, but it eventually did. For the most part, anyway. The scattered dreams involving her continued to this day. He even dreamt of her on his wedding night as he lay next to Vanessa. He felt really guilty about that one, dreaming of another woman the very night he married her.

So much time had been spent not even thinking about Jess. Years went by without even a whisper of her, then Seth saw her in that nightclub, and everything changed. Now she was all he could think about. Now that she knew about Richie being Mexican Dracula, she was part of the club. She just accepted it, and still loved Richie even though he had become a literal monster. She wasn’t afraid of him, and she accepted their odd lifestyle. Seth didn’t have to hide anything from her. She really was perfect. 

He wanted to see her again, and make this work somehow. He knew she was currently living in Chicago, but maybe that didn’t have to be permanent. She said she only moved there for a change in scenery, and to get back on her feet after her divorce. 

Sure she had a kid, and that was something he stopped thinking about a long time ago, becoming a dad, having kids of his own. His choice of careers didn’t really make that an option. Well, a good one anyway. But now, with the Jacknife as home, he was at least somewhat settled, and perhaps that was an option after all. 

He met the kid too, and she seemed sweet, just like her mom. And while at first he didn’t think he was actually going to, he did end up really like her. Emily had this overly smart for her age thing going on that reminded him of Richie as a kid, but she seemed better rounded and less socially awkward. He supposed that’s why he found her so easy to get along with. He’d been down that road before.

Normally a woman with a kid was a no go, he would pass and move to the next one, but not this time. Seth didn’t have that familiar instinct to run. He wasn’t sure why, exactly, but he just had a feeling about this. It wasn’t as scary as it usually seemed. Instead, Jess, kid and all, seemed to put him at ease. Or maybe ground him perhaps.

Seth just knew he had to see Jess again, if anything proved that, it was the fact that he just spent the last hour and a half on the phone with her. He hated talking on the phone, but he just couldn’t seem to hang up. He loved hearing her voice, and even though it had only been two days, he was already missing it. Missing her. 

It took some convincing, but Seth finally got Jess to accept his invitation to come visit them at the Jacknife. Richie’s birthday was about a month away, and his was just over a month and a half away, so he told her she had plenty of reasons to come out. She agreed to come stay with them, but unfortunately she would be missing Richie’s birthday. Her daughter would still be in school until the first week in June, but they would both be coming down after school got out for the summer.

Jess said she could stay awhile too, it’s not like she still had a job at the club any more, so she didn’t have any reason to go back to Chicago at a certain date. Plus it worked out because her ex, Rob, still lived in Austin. Which meant Emily could spend more time with him too, which Jess knew she wanted. She missed her dad, and despite everything that happened between her and her ex-husband, Jess would never rob her daughter of time with her father. He loved his little girl, and was actually a good dad. Just a really bad husband.

Seth was heading to their office to tell Richie the good news, as Richie rushed past him, nearly knocking him over.

“Hey, you idiot!” Yelled Seth. “Watch where you’re goin’. You almost ran into me. What’s your fuckin’ problem? Hey! I’m talking to you, Richard. Are you listening to me? Richard?!”

Richie just kept on walking without even acknowledging his brother. He stormed out of the back door without a word, and stomped across the gravel.

“Whackjob!” Seth yelled after him, as he walked into the office. 

What the Hell’s got him all worked up, he thought to himself. That’s when he saw Kate, crying her eyes out on the floor.

“Shit, Kate,” said Seth, running over and dropping to his knees beside her. “Are you okay? What the fuck just happened?”

Kate just sobbed into his arms, as he held her tight. He wondered what Richie could have possibly done to make her this upset. And he just ran out of here like a total asshole, leaving her like this too. Shit, he thought. Did they just break up? How is that possible? They’re so in love with each other, he was just making fun of them for being all snuggily and smoochy last night.

“Katie,” he soothed. “Just tell me what happened, Princess. What did he do?”

“I’m pregnant,” she blurted in between sobs. “I told him I was pregnant.”

“You’re pre. . .pregnant,” breathed Seth. “Okay. You’re Pregnant. Alright. Ummmm. Sure. You’re pregnant. Okay. We can deal with that.”

Kate was pregnant, he thought. Okay. That was unexpected. How the fuck did that happen? Well they fuck all the time, so that explains that, but still. How could they let that happen? And why would Richie act that way when he found out? He loved Kate, told Seth that he wanted to spend his life with her. How could her being pregnant be a bad thing if that is truly what he wanted? And now what the fuck could he do? How was he going to deal with a crying Kate, and a Richie who left her like that?

“So you told him, and then what?” Asked Seth. “He just left you here? Like this? That doesn’t make any sense, Kate. He loves you. I know he does. I don’t understand why he would storm off after finding out you guys were having a baby.”

“He doesn’t think it’s his,” sobbed Kate. “He thinks it’s yours.”

“What?! Why the fuck would he think that? We only slept together twice, and he was there both times. And that was months ago.”

“Because Culebras can’t have kids, Seth,” she cried. “But it is his. I know it is. I haven’t been with anyone else.”

“Shit, Kate,” he said, totally forgetting that part. Sometimes he forgot what his brother was. “How? I believe you, but how?”

“I don’t know!” She paused to take a deep, shaky breath. “I love him so much, Seth. I don’t know why he won’t believe me. I would never do that to him. Never! It’s his baby, Seth. I don’t know how, but it is.”

“It’s okay,” said Seth, hugging her tight. “It’ll all be okay. I’ll talk to him. Make him see the truth. I know he loves you, Kate. He does. He’ll come around. I’ll fix this. Okay? I’ll fix it.”

Seth helped Kate to her feet. He kept his arm around her and helped her downstairs to her room. He got her into her bed, and crawled in after her. He remained there, holding her as she cried herself to sleep.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seth stayed with Kate awhile after she fell asleep. He was so pissed at Richie for leaving her like that. Yes, he understood why he would be skeptical, if he couldn’t have kids, how could this be his? But he also knew Kate. Knew that she loved him as much as he loved her. Knew she would never do that to Richie. And how was his brother so easily convinced that she would?

None of this was making any sense. First of all, if Richie couldn’t have kids, then how did Kate get pregnant to begin with? Seth knew it couldn’t be his, they only had sex the two times Richie was there. It was over four months ago anyway, and she would have definitely known before now if he had gotten her pregnant. And he used protection. Shit! It hit him suddenly that he didn’t the second time. But he pulled out before he came. Besides, again, she would have known long before now if it was his baby. She would have been months along, almost half way through. It had to be Richie’s, there was no way he could ever believe that Kate would cheat on him. Seth needed to find his younger brother, talk some sense into him.

He slowly crept off the bed and out of the room, trying not to wake Kate up. His first stop was Richie’s room, the one he and Kate were currently sharing. He wasn’t there. He wasn’t anywhere on the lower level they lived on. Next he checked the bar, no sign of him there either. He wasn’t out back either, and his car was missing from the garage. Shit, he thought. There was no telling when he’d be back if he drove off.

Seth called Richie, trying to at least see where is was. It rang until it went to voicemail. He called again, same thing. He left a message saying that he needed to talk to him. Then he texted him the same thing, begging him to call him back. 

Over an hour went by, with no response. Seth spent the rest of the night between his office and the bar floor, hoping he would come back. Then they closed for the night, and still no sign of Richie. Part of him wanted to check the other bars they owned, but he wanted to be here if Kate woke up. So he called, but nobody had seen him.

Seth waited in his office awhile longer before giving up for the night. Then he finally called it quits and made his way downstairs. He got into bed and tried to get some sleep. Richie would be back eventually, and he would talk to him then. 

But sleep just wouldn’t come tonight. Seth laid there over two hours, tossing and turning. Then he finally gave up on the idea of sleep, he had too much on his mind. He made his way back up to the bar to get a drink. Maybe he could drink enough to get a little shuteye. There was only one way to find out.

Seth walked into the dark bar, and was startled by a dark figure sitting at a booth in the far corner. It was Richie, sitting alone in the dark, tipping a bottle of Jack into his mouth. With the bottle now empty, he threw it to the side, glass shattering across the bar floor. Then he got up shakily, and headed back behind the bar for another one. 

Seth intercepted him before he got there. He grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. 

“Richard! What the fuck, man?”

“Get outta my way, Seth,” slurred Richie, as he tried grabbing another bottle.

It was clear to Seth that he had been drinking awhile. And he knew it was more than the one bottle he just tossed, it took him a lot to get this drunk since he became a Culebra.

“No!” Yelled Seth, grabbing for the new bottle in Richie’s hand. “Put that down! Talk to me, Richard.”

“I don’t wanna talk, Seth! I wanna drink. Now leave me alone.”

“No way, brother. I found Kate earlier, so I know what’s going on. Let’s just talk about it, okay?”

“If you know what happened,” said Richie, grabbing the bottle back from Seth, and opening it. “Then you know why I wanna drink tonight,” he took a long swig from the bottle. “Was it you, brother? Did you fuck my Katie behind my back?! I always knew you were in love with her, but I never thought you were a backstabber.”

“Jesus Christ, Richard. No!” Yelled Seth. “Of course I didn’t sleep with her. I would never do that to you. And neither would she.”

“Then explain that baby. ‘Cause it’s not mine. Culebras can’t have kids, Seth.”

“I don’t have an explanation, Richie. But there is no way Kate would ever cheat on you. She loves you. Why are you so convinced she would?”

“Because I’ve never been good enough for her, Seth,” sobbed Richie, trying to fight back his emotions and failing. “I’ve always been a piece of shit. I’m rotten on the inside. I’m a murderer and a monster, and she’s this perfect, little angel. I don’t deserve her, I never did. She’d be so much better off without me, and she must have finally figured it out. That’s why she found someone else. Now she’s having his baby.”

“Richard, stop feeling sorry for yourself,” said Seth. “Does that even make any sense to you? If she thinks she’s better off without you, why would she want it to be your baby? Why would she stay with you if she found someone who made her happier? Huh? Why wouldn’t she just leave then? You’re a fuckin’ genius, think about it. Why?”

“I don’t know!”

“God, sometimes you’re an fuckin’ idiot, Richard. You know that? You’re so smart, but you can’t see the forest for the trees. You love her, right? And she loves you. She’s always loved you. Even after everything we put her through she chose you. Knowing everything she knows about you, she still chose you. Despite everything, you are the one she wants. She didn’t cheat on you, Richie. I know she didn’t. You know she didn’t. You’re good to her, and she’s good to you. You make each other happy, she literally beams around you. You can’t keep your hands off each other, and you guys are great together. It makes me jealous when I see how perfect you are for each other. And don’t even tell me you can’t see that. The only thing she’s figured out is that you’re the man for her, and somehow you guys are having a baby together. She needs you, Richie. She needs your support through this. And this baby needs its father.”

“Even if it was mine, I’d be a shit father too, and you know it.”

“Knock it off, Richard,” yelled Seth. “You would not. You know how I know that? Because dad was a shit father, and you hated him. You were never anything like him, and you wouldn’t put your child through what we went through. Because despite what you think, you are a good man, Richard. If you weren’t, Kate wouldn’t bother with you, but she always knew that. She could always see what kind of a man you were underneath all the bullshit. I don’t know how, but that is your baby, Richie. And you will love it. You will take care of it, and Kate. Because that’s what good men do, they take care of their family.”

“I love her so much, Seth,” said Richie, fighting through the tears. “Do you have any idea how badly I want that child to be mine? I would give anything to give her that. That’s what she wants more than anything, a family. But I can’t. I know I can’t. I’d do anything for her, Seth, but the one thing she wants most, I can’t give her, and it hurts. She deserves that. After everything, she deserves to get what she wants. She deserves a normal life, but I can’t give her a normal life, or the family she wants. What good am I to her? I can buy her anything in the world, but I can’t give her the one thing she truly wants. I want her to be happy, and if that means she’s with someone else, someone who can give her that, then that’s what she deserves. I want her to have the family she’s always wanted. I want it for us. I want a family with her, Seth, but I can’t. It’s not my baby, no matter how much I want it to be. It can’t be. I can’t have kids, Seth. I can’t.”

“Well somehow you managed to, Richie. I don’t know how, but you did. We’ll figure it out. Okay?” 

Seth started rubbing Richie between the shoulder blades. He was full out crying now, with his head in his arms on the bar top. Seth pulled his younger brother in for a hug, and Richie wrapped his arms around him. Seth patted his back, and rubbed the back of his neck.

“We’ll figure it out, buddy,” said Seth, trying to sooth him the best way he knew how. “I’ll fix it.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After getting Richie to bed, Seth crept back to his own room. It was now five in the morning. He needed answers, and only knew one person who could possibly provide them. He needed Alessandra.

He took out his phone, and called her. She picked up on the fourth ring, sounding drowsy from sleep. 

“Hello? Seth?”

“Al,” he said. “I need you. I need your help.”

“What’s wrong?” Asked Al, a little more awake after hearing his tone.

“Kate’s pregnant.”

“What?!”

“She told Richie, who is now convinced she cheated on him because Culebras can’t have kids. You know Kate. Is there any way you could possibly see her cheating on Richie? I can’t.”

“I can’t either, but he’s right. He can’t have kids, Seth.”

“Come on, Al. There has to be something. Something that would explain this. I know it’s his.”

“I don’t know. . .”

“Anything,” he interrupted. “I’m begging you to give me an answer. Please.”

Al sighed into the phone. Then she was quiet for a long time, “I would love to give you what you’re looking for, but I don’t think I can.”

“Come on, Al. Please? There has to be something. I’m begging you.”

“You can beg all you want, Seth. That won’t change my answer. I want to believe her as much as you do. I want to believe it’s his, but I’ve never heard of a Culebra fathering a child before. Hell, I’ve never heard of a Vespertilio fathering a child with a human either. It doesn’t happen, Seth.” She paused. “Shit, Seth.”

“What?”

“Fuck. I just thought of something.”

“What?!”

“A possible answer, but I need to do some research.”

“What is it?” Asked Seth, getting all excited.

“I said a possible answer, Seth. I’m not even sure it’s an actual possibility. I need to look into this. Make some calls. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Wait, Al. What is it? You have to give me something. They’re falling apart over here.”

“I don’t know anything for sure, Seth. So before I come barging in with false hope, I have to look into this. I promise I’ll be there as soon as I can. I’ll book a flight tomorrow. I’ll be there tomorrow night. I promise you that much.”

“Al. . .”

“Goodnight, Seth. I promise I’ll be there tomorrow night.”

With that, she hung up. Leaving Seth looking at his phone, wondering what the fuck was going on. He hoped to God she found something out. He knew this was somehow Richie’s baby, he just needed Al to prove it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that was an emotional roller-coaster. I hope you're enjoying the 2nd part of this series so far. Stay tuned to find out if Al can find a way it's possible for Kate and Richie to actually have kids, or if something else is at play here.


	15. Al's Theory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Al arrives at the Jacknife with what she hopes is the answer to their questions.
> 
> Tidbit: They quickly set off to find Kate and Richie, with barely even a greeting, and ushered the pair into the brother's private office. Kate and Richie sat at opposite ends of the couch in there, with Seth leaning against his desk. Al had center stage.

Alessandra arrived at the Jacknife just after eight PM. She immediately found Seth, and he noticed just how exhausted she looked. He wondered if she got any sleep at all. He called her yesterday probably only a few hours after she went to bed, so she was most likely up for the better part of two days getting as much information for them as she could. But she was all business, worrying more about the task at hand than her own needs. Which is why he knew she could be relied on, and she was the only person he would have called. When it came to the people she cared about, Seth knew Al would do whatever it took.

They quickly set off to find Kate and Richie, with barely even a greeting, and ushered the pair into the brother's private office. Kate and Richie sat at opposite ends of the couch in there, with Seth leaning against his desk. Al had center stage.

Al gave Seth a look at the sight of the other two, and he gave her a look back that clearly said ‘I know’. She had never seen them like that, not close or touching, and not even looking at each other. Both of their faces were sad, and hurt. It was clear that neither had slept well either.

Kate had big, black bags under her eyes, and was wearing her pjs, which happened to be a pair of pj bottoms, and one of Richie’s t-shirts, signifying the fact that she hadn’t left her room since Seth brought her there. If he hadn’t brought her food and bottles of water, she wouldn’t have eaten at all. Even still, she only nibbled at what he brought. 

She hadn’t even said a word to him since that night, covering herself in her blankets every time he walked in to check on her. Her sniffles were the only response he got to any of his questions. She even shrugged him off when he sat down next to her, trying to soothe her. He had no idea what to do when she pulled away from him, so he sat there quietly, just trying to be a comfort, even if she was pretending she didn’t want it.

Richie looked like total shit too. His hair was a mess, it wasn’t slicked back like normal, it was product-free, and unkept. He was stubbly because he hadn’t shaved in a few days, and Seth was pretty sure he hadn’t even changed out of the clothes he was wearing that night. He was sans suit jacket and tie, but the once crisp, white shirt was taking on a new color all together. He too hadn’t been eating the food Seth was bringing him, nor did he go out to feed. But he was leaving his room periodically, evident by the ever growing pile of empty liquor bottles Seth was finding in his room when he checked up on him. 

Like Kate, Richie wasn’t talking to Seth either. But instead of sniffles, his responses where grunts, and drunk moans, as he lay huddled like a baby in his bed, facing the wall. When Seth checked on him this morning, he was passed out, but he noticed that he was clutching the other pillow to his chest, the one Kate used. It was pathetic looking, but still broke his heart to see.

Even Seth looked frazzled. The bags under his eyes were bigger than Kate’s. He spent the entirety of the last two days worrying about, and taking care of these two, unable to sleep himself. His normal stubble was nearly beard-like, and he was clearly exhausted. The whole lot of them looked like a miserable mess.

As sleep deprived as she was, Al was hoping she could fix the situation with the news she brought. It was obvious to her that they still loved each other, and wanted to be with the other, but pain and uncertainty were driving them apart. She didn’t need to see what Seth saw the last two days to know it was true.

“Obviously Seth called me” she said, breaking the eerie silence of the room. “So I’m aware of the situation. I’ve been doing some digging, and I think I have the answer you’re looking for.”

Neither Richie or Kate even looked at her. They were both still looking off to the side, avoiding eye contact with anyone.

“I know this is hard, you two, but listen to what Al has to say,” added Seth. Then he added more harshly when they clearly weren’t listening, “Hey! Eyes front! She didn’t fly all the way here to be ignored.”

Both glared at him, but the hurt was still in their eyes, underneath the anger they were trying to hide it with. Then they looked at Al, who was patiently standing before them. She knew it was going to be a tough sale from the beginning, she wasn’t expecting this to go smoothly. Under the circumstances, she wasn’t going to hold it against them though.

“First,” she started. “Let me just say that I love you both, and I want nothing more than for you two to work this out. I know how much you both love each other, and want to be together. This baby, although unplanned, and totally unexpected, is a true blessing.”

Richie huffed at that.

“Richard!” Yelled Seth. “Don’t be a dick. You love Kate, we all know you do, so don’t pretend like a having baby with her wouldn’t be a dream come true. You were telling me the other night how you wished this baby was yours. That you wanted nothing more than to give Kate a baby, because you knew how much she wanted one. Or did you forget that?”

“No, Seth,” said Richard through clenched teeth. “I didn’t forget anything.”

“Okay then,” said Seth. “Do you honestly believe Kate would do that to you?”

“I never did, but how else can you explain this?” Asked Richard, voice rising.

“Richie,” said Kate. “I wouldn’t. I didn’t. I love you.”

“I don’t want to hear it, Kate,” said Richie, still not looking at her. “I just want Al to get this shit over with so we can just go our separate ways.”

“Our separate ways?” Asked Kate, her voice wavering with oncoming tears.

“Are you saying that it’s over, Richie?” Asked Seth. “That you’re just going to leave her like this? You say she’s your one and only, the girl of your dreams. That she completes you, makes you feel alive. How can you claim to love her so much, if it’s so easy to just throw it all away, just like that?”

“It’s not easy, Seth. And I never said that.”

“Never said what?” Asked Seth.

“That I was leaving her,” choked Richie. 

Kate looked at him, crying and confused. Seth and Al also looked at him with wonder.

“Look,” he said. “I never said I was leaving, okay?”

“You said you wanted to go your separate ways, Richard. I think that’s pretty clear,” said Seth.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean, Richard?”

“I don’t know! I just need some space, Seth.”

“So you’re staying then?” Asked Seth.

“I never said that either. I don’t know if I can. How the Hell can I look at the kid and not think of how she betrayed me? I don’t think I can. I love you, Kate,” he said turning to her. “But I don’t know if I can live with that.”

“Richie,” cried Kate. “I didn’t. I swear I didn’t. I love you. Only you. Why won’t you believe me?”

“How could I, when I know full well that I can’t have kids, Kate.”

“But what if that’s not the case?” Asked Alessandra. “What if you could?”

“I can’t,” said Richie. “So what does it matter. I’m a Culebra, and Culebras can’t have kids.”

“But what if there was a rare situation in which you could, Richie?” Asked Al. “Would you believe Kate then? I know you can’t really believe she would cheat on you, that’s just your fear talking. The fear that you aren’t good enough for her somehow. Deep down inside you know she loves you, and would never do that to you.”

“What are you talking about, Al?” Asked Richie, obviously skeptical. “And you better not just feed me some horseshit because you want us to stay together.”

“I would never do that,” she said. “You know I speak my mind, whatever the consequences. And yeah, when Seth first told me, I told him that I agreed with you. Not that I ever thought Kate would do something like that, but the evidence was against her. No one has ever heard of a Culebra having a child before. But then I thought about it. And while no one has ever heard of that before, I have heard of Vespertilio fathering children before.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Asked Richie.

“Although I’ve never seen it myself, there’s folklore that goes back thousands of years claiming that vampires do in fact father children on occasion.”

“Folklore is just a bunch of bullshit and you know it,” he said back.

“Yes,” said Al. “Most folklore is bullshit, Richard, but it is usually based on some sort of truth. So I did my research and asked around. I think I’ve got it figured out. If it works for us, I don’t see why it wouldn’t work for you.”

“See, Richard,” chimed in Seth. “She found the answer. I told you we would figure it out.”

“I’ve heard nothing yet that would prove anything. You better not be wasting my time, Al,” said Richard.

“Hey,” said Al, as agitated as they had ever heard her. “I’m here to help you out. I haven’t slept in two fucking days, and I don’t need your Goddamn attitude. So shut the fuck up and listen, or I walk. And then you can continue being the dick everyone thinks you are, and lose the woman of your dreams while you’re at it. All because you’re too fuckin’ stubborn to listen to a Goddamn word I say. Does that sound like a plan to you, Richard?”

Richie shrugged, “I need some facts. Unlike Seth.”

“You want some facts, Richard?” Asked Al. “Then I’ll give you some fuckin’ facts. But you better listen.” She paused, giving him a look before continuing. “Okay, then. Let’s start at the beginning. There’s something in folklore called a Dhampir. What is that you ask? A half vampire. Now, legend stats that that happens when a male vampire impregnates a human woman. This child is not human or vampire, but something in between. Many myths claim all sorts of different powers possessed by these beings, from elongated life, to super strength, to the ability to sense vampires. Which is why they often become vampire hunters.”

“You’re just describing Blade,” Richie interjected.

“Would you shut the fuck up and let her finish?” Yelled Seth.

Richie shrugged again, and shook his head in agitation, rolling his eyes.

“Anyway,” continued Al. “Most of that is bullshit. And Blade’s mom wasn’t impregnated, Richard. She was bitten, which actually makes those stories closer to the truth.” She paused, giving Richie a glare before continuing. “I know some Vespertilio that have been around for awhile, a long while. And a few of them claim to have met such a child before, but they were not born by a male vampire just fucking a human woman. That’s the main part the folklore got wrong. There is only one way a Dhampir is actually born. When a pregnant woman is turned at a certain point in the pregnancy. Too early, the baby dies, too late, the baby will be human. But there is a sweet spot in which the baby changes with the mother, and becomes something in between, a Dhampir. And that child, because it is both human and vampire, if female, is the only being on the planet who can conceive a child with a male vampire. If the same goes for Culebras as it does Vespertilio, it stands to reason, that you could in fact be pregnant with Richie’s child, Kate.”

“Wait,” said Seth, scratching his head. “Are you saying Kate is one of these things? Or that Kate is a vampire now?”

“I’m not a vampire, and neither was my mom,” said Kate, giving Seth a weird look. “So I’m neither.”

“I’m not so sure, Kate,” said Al. “I think you might be a Dhampir.”

“How?” Asked Kate. “If they are born one way only, and I was not born like that, then how can I be?”

“I think it has to do with Amaru’s blood mixing with yours. You were dead, and brought back to life with her blood. Think of it as some kind of a loophole. You were reborn. I think she changed you, making you something in between. And thus able to conceive Richie’s child, under special circumstances of course.”

“What do you mean special circumstances?” Asked Richie.

“Well,” said Al. “It’s not like your naturally cold body is just bursting with living sperm, Richard. But studies have shown that male Vespertilio do in fact produce sperm, so I would imagine you guys do to. But the viable sperm is only produced in smaller amounts, and only for as long as the body is kept human temperature. Otherwise it dies.”

“When the body is human temperature?” Asked Kate.

“Yeah, like after he feeds,” said Al. “It warms our bodies up because of the warm blood being pumped through. I’m sure you’ve noticed sometimes he’s warmer, nearly human temperature, and sometimes he’s much colder. The longer he goes between feedings, the colder he gets. So if he was to feed regularly, and stay relatively warm, he could produce viable sperm during that time. You could probably make it last longer by getting into a hot shower or tub often in between feedings, I suppose. As long as you stay in the nineties on the inside, your body works very similar to that of a human’s, Richard.”

“So what you’re saying,” said Seth. “Is that if Kate is one of these things, it’s possible for her and Richie to have kids?”

“A Dhampir,” said Alessandra. “And yes. I think it’s very likely that she is. It makes sense when you think about it. What her body went through was completely unnatural. It’s only logical that it would incur some kinds of changes during that process.” Then she turned towards Kate, “Have you noticed anything different since Amaru, Kate? Urges to taste blood? Quicker healing times? Super strength?”

“Maybe,” said Kate. “Not the blood thing, or any super strength, but the cuts on my wrist from where she slit them healed real quick. And I don’t get that many scars. Even after I’ve been shot, the wounds heal and leave almost no trace.”

“That’s true,” said Richie, eyeing her. “You don’t really have any scars. Your recovery time is pretty resilient actually.”

“It’s because you’re not quite human any more, Kate,” said Al. “Love her or hate her, Amaru left you as more than you were before. It seems that unintentionally, she gave you a gift. A precious gift. The ability to conceive a child with the man that you love. Among other perks perhaps, such as the possibility of a much longer than normal life as well.”

“Longer than normal?” Asked Richie. 

“In all the cases that I’ve heard of,” said Al. “The Dhampir lived a longer than human life. They don’t have the immortality of a vampire, nor the short, mortal life of a human. It seems like they age like a werewolf, actually. About twice as slow as a human, generally living between one-hundred and one-hundred and fifty years. I believe, and this is just my opinion, that it has to do with their body’s quick healing. It rejuvenates them, slows down decay, and thus the aging process. So you might have quite a life left to live, Kate.”

“So we can have a family?” Asked Kate, a smile starting to curve her lips as she completely overlooked everything Alessandra just said. “Like other children as well?”

“It’s possible,” said Al. “But I wouldn’t count on it. It’s rare. While you can continue to conceive, theoretically, as often as any other human woman, it’s likely this will be your only child with Richie. But I wouldn’t say it’s impossible that you could have more, just don’t get your hopes up. Now if you were with a human man, there would be no problem as long as he was capable of having children. Richie, I’m sorry to say, will most likely have a difficult time based on the timing and prep it would take.”

“Well he didn’t seem to have a problem doing it accidentally this time, now did he,” smirked Seth.

“Luck and coincidence, my friend,” said Al. Then she turned back to Richie. “How often do you feed, Richie?”

“I try to feed once or twice a week. Sometimes more, and sometimes less depending on my food source. Why?”

“Well it takes time for sperm to be produced, so you would need a stretch of regular feedings to keep that process going. Then, obviously, the closer you are after feeding, the better the supply. Do you often have sex right after you feed?”

“No,” he said.

“But we did,” said Kate, a light bulb going off in her head. “That one time. Don’t you remember, Richie?”

“No,” said Richie, shaking his head.

“It was that day you sent flowers and chocolates to my Psychology class. I went right to the Rattlesnake after class to surprise you in your office. When I got there, you just finished. You had one of the guys dispose of the body when I came in. I even wiped some blood from your chin that you missed. Remember?”

Richie laughed nervously, “Oh yeah. I do remember that.”

“You were so embarrassed, like I didn’t know that you did that kind of stuff,” giggled Kate. “But I reminded you that I was quite aware of what you are, and what you do, and that it didn’t bother me. I told you that I loved you regardless, and wanted to prove it to you by thanking you for the gifts earlier. We never even made it out of the office. That had to be it.”

“Ohhhh,” chuckled Al with a sarcastic smirk. “Do you recall feeding regularly around that time?”

“It’s possible,” he shrugged. “I did go through a stretch of more regular meals about a month or so before we went to Chicago.”

“Does that seem right according to you time wise, Kate?”

“Yeah. It was after Valentine’s Day. Maybe a few weeks after.”

“I think we found our winner then,” smirked Al.

“You better never have ever done that in this office,” warned Seth.

“We didn’t,” glared Richie. “But you’re one to talk.”

“I have never had sex in this office, Richard,” corrected Seth. “Just a few blow jobs, and they were at my desk.”

“If we ever do anything in this office, it will most likely be at my desk, so I don’t see the difference.”

“Does that mean you believe me, Richie?” Asked Kate. “This is your baby. Is this proof enough for you?”

Richie wasn’t saying anything. He was staring into space.

“Richard?” Asked Seth. “Did you hear Kate? Do you still believe this baby isn’t yours? Because to me it sounds like your dream of giving Kate a baby is coming true.”

“You’re sure about this, Al?” Asked Richie. “About Dhampirs? About me being able to have kids?”

“As sure as I can be,” she said, giving him a reassuring smile. “I don’t see how it can be possible for us and not you too. Plus I just don’t see Kate ever wanting anyone else. You and Kate are having a baby, Richie. I believe it with my heart and soul.”

His quizzical and anxious face changed immediately to a soft smile.

“Richie?” Begged Kate, as he continued to sit and ponder at the other side of the couch. 

Before Kate even knew it, Richie was standing before her. He dropped to his knees in front of her, begging for forgiveness. He took her hands in his, and stared up into her eyes.

“I’m so sorry, Katie,” he pleaded. “I never wanted to believe it was true, that you could do that to me, but I didn’t think this was possible. I didn’t think there was another option. I’m so sorry, baby. I should have believed you. I should have trusted you. I love you so much. I know I hurt you, but please don’t leave me, baby. I love you, Katie. Forgive me. Please?”

“I do forgive you, Richie,” cried Kate, removing her hands from his and cupping his face. “Because I do love you. I love every bit of you with every bit of me. I could never leave you, baby.”

“I know I fucked up, but give me a chance to make it right. I’ll always be there for you. For the baby. I promise I will, Kate.”

“I know you will. And I want you to. I need you, baby. Promise me one more thing though, Richie.”

“Anything.”

“You’ll go with me to the ultrasound? I need you there with me.”

“I wouldn’t miss it.”

“Hold on, hold on,” said Seth. “Can I ask something? What will this kid be exactly? I mean, not that it really matters, because we’ll all love it no matter what, but what are we dealing with? Is it gonna be a vampire?”

“No,” said Al.

“Than what?”

“With Vespertilio, the baby was always human. I would think that would also apply to Culebras.”

“So it’s gonna be a normal baby?” Asked Richie.

“Normal is a relative term,” shrugged Al. “I happen to think I’m perfectly normal, vampire or not.”

“That’s a bit of a stretch,” smirked Seth. 

“Nobody asked you, Seth,” she glared back.

“What he meant is,” added Kate. “Will our baby be human?”

“I suppose it’s possible that it could also be Dhampir-like,” said Al. “But I doubt it. I think you’ll have a human baby. In any case, your baby will have a normal, human upbringing. I mean as close to “normal” as possible considering his or her Dad isn’t human, and neither is Auntie Al. So rest assured, Richie, your baby should grow up to be a normal kid. There shouldn’t be anything to worry about for either of you.”

“Well,” huffed Seth. “Richard had two human parents, and he didn’t turn out normal. So I guess that’s up in the air too.”

“Thanks, Asshole,” said Richie. “You had the same parents I did.”

“Yeah, and I turned out okay. So what I’m trying to say is the kid does have a chance at normal. We’ll just call it fifty-fifty.”

“Seth,” said Kate. “Why do you always have to ruin our moments?”

“That’s what big brothers are for,” he smiled.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate was back in the room she shared with Richie. She was only away from it for a total of two nights, but she missed it. Now that they had made up, she could cuddle up in their bed, and wait for him to come down for the night.

She wasn’t planning on doing it tonight, but she knew that despite the fact that they were back together, they had a lot to talk about. It seemed that Richie still had doubts about her feelings for him, and that hurt. Now matter what she said, what she did, or anything that had happened between them, he still felt that it wasn’t true. She loved him with all her heart, and she couldn’t understand why he couldn’t see it. He was the love of her life, and she wanted him to know that.

They were about to start a family together, and she didn’t want to go down that path without him seeing just how much he meant to her. How could they ever raise this baby together if he was constantly worried she was going to leave him? She never would, she couldn’t, and she needed him to understand that, because she never wanted to go through what she just went through ever again.

Kate was down there almost an hour before she heard a knock at the door. She yelled ‘come in’ from her spot in the bed, and when the door opened, it was Richie. He was looking glum and nervous.

“Richie what’s wrong?” She asked, getting up from the bed and making her way to him.

“Nothing,” he said. “I was just wondering if you wanted me in here tonight, or if I should find somewhere else.”

“Of course I want you in here,” said Kate, “Why wouldn’t I?”

“I wasn’t sure if you wanted to be alone.”

“If I wanted to be alone, don’t you think I would have gone to my old room instead of the room we share?”

“I don’t know,” shrugged Richie. “Maybe.”

“Come here,” she said, holding her hand out to him. “Come lay with me. I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

Kate helped Richie out of his grungy looking clothes, unbuttoning his once white shirt, now stained yellow around the collar and down the front and back. She threw it to the side before helping him with his equally discolored undershirt.

“I never realized that you sweat this much,” she mused. “I’ve actually only ever seen you sweat when we have sex, so it’s a bit shocking that this is what your shirts look like after just a few days.”

“Sorry,” he said, giving a sad grin.

“No need to be sorry, Richie. I was just pointing it out. But now that I’m thinkin’ about it, maybe we both should get a little cleaned up before bed. What if I run us a bath? No point in puttin’ in that big, old, two person, soaker tub, if we aren’t gonna use it,” she chuckled.

Richie smiled back at her, apparently liking the idea. He followed her to the bathroom, and while she turned on the water, he dug in the cabinet for the bubble bath stuff he bought her for her birthday. He handed it to her, and she added it to the steaming water.

Then Kate turned around and undid his belt buckle and pants, letting them fall to the ground. Richie pulled her pj shirt over her head, then they both discarded of what remained.

He got in the tub first, then took Kate’s hand to help her in after him. She sat tucked against him in the relaxing, bubbly water, her back to his front.

They washed each other thoroughly then just sat quietly in the cooling water. That’s when Kate decided she had to say something to him. She knew she was planning on waiting to bring it up, but she just knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep with this on her mind.

“Richie?” She asked.

“Hmm,” he responded.

“Why do you still think that I don’t love you?”

There. There is was, out in the open. The question aching to get out since he first questioned her loyalty to him in his office. How could he possibly think she would cheat on him, and still love him? She concluded that he believed that she didn’t, and it really bothered her.

“It’s not that, Kate.”

“Then what is it? I don’t know how else to prove it to you. I love you, Richie, and I would never cheat on you. What am I not doing that makes you think that I would?”

“It’s not you, Kate,” he sighed. “You’re perfect. It’s me. I’m the fuck up.”

“No you’re not. I can see how much you love me, so you’re not doing anything wrong.”

“You’re not doing anything wrong either.”

“Then what is it, Richie? Why can’t you see it?”

“It’s not that I can’t see it,” he said. “It’s because I don’t deserve it. That’s why it’s hard for me.”

“What do you mean you don’t deserve it? Everyone deserves to be loved, Richie. Everyone deserves to be happy, and if I can do both for you, than you deserve me. If I can’t then maybe you need to find someone else.”

“I don’t want anyone else, Kate. I want you. You make me happier than anything else in the world, and I can’t even begin to explain how much I love you.”

“And that’s how I feel about you, Richie,” said Kate. “You’re my world. My everything. I love you beyond words, and I want you to believe me when I say it. You’re the man I’ve always dreamed of, and I could never ask for anything more. I’ve told you time and time again that you’re a good man, and more than good enough for me. And I mean it every time. No man could ever treat me better, no man could ever love me more. You make every day special, and you do everything for me. You’re so good to me that it often makes me wonder if I’m the one who should be worrying that I’m not good enough for you. There’s no way that I can compare to you like that.”

“Kate,” he sighed. “You never need to think that. You’re more than I ever dreamed of in a woman. I do what I do to prove myself to you, you don’t have to. I already know how good you are. You’re the best thing in my life. I’m the one that needs redemption, I’m the fucked up one. My life would be nothing without you. It was before you, and it is every time you’re not with me.”

“My life was nothing without you too, only I didn’t know it. I don’t think I’ve ever really been happy, not until you came around. Nothing proved this more to me than watching you die. I didn’t tell you this, but all I could think about when I was holding you, was how I would rather die than live without you. You mean that much to me, and I need you to know that.”

“Kate. . .”

“I know you think you’re a monster, but I don’t. I never did. I love you. I don’t care what you are, Richie. All I care about is who you are, and I love who you are. I love everything about you, and every part of you,” she paused. “We’re about to start a family, Richie. You and me. Together. We’re having a baby, and we’re gonna need each other to get through this. But before we go any further in this relationship, I need to know that you know that I love you more than anything and anyone in this world. That I would never leave you. That I would never betray you. That you are all I’ve ever needed and wanted, and I’m not going anywhere. You are my one and only, Richard Gecko. And I absolutely need you to understand that, because I will not be put through what I just went through ever again. You hear me? I won’t. So tell me that you love me. Tell me that you understand that this is for real. That it’s you and me to the end. Tell me that you understand that I love you as much as you love me. Tell me all that, or we need rethink what our future is. I can’t spend the rest of my life wondering if you trust me. It hurts that you doubt me.”

“I never meant to hurt you, Katie.”

“But you did. Badly. I know you would never mean to hurt me like that, and that’s why it’s so easy for me to always forgive you. But not this time. I need to know, Richie, if you trust me.”

“I do,” said Richie. “I can’t lose you, Kate. And I want to be there for you. And the baby. You both deserve that much, and I always want you to have what you deserve.”

“So you believe me when I say I love you, and only you?” Asked Kate.

“I do.”

“And you believe that I could never leave you, or hurt you like that?”

“I do.”

“And you want to spend your life with me as badly as I want to spend my life with you?”

“Yes.”

“And you’re happy to be the father of my baby?”

“Of course I am. It’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

“And you’ll always be there for us? You’ll help me raise our baby, and you’ll love them as much as you love me?”

“I wouldn’t dream of anything less.”

“Then tell me that you love me, Richie,” she said standing up. “And come to bed with me.”

“I love you, Katie,” he said, standing up and grabbing a towel to wrap her in. “And I promise I’ll never question you again.” He kissed her sweetly. “It’s you and me, baby. Until the very end.”

They dried and dressed, and headed off to bed. They held each other through the night. Face to face, foreheads touching, his arm securely around her, and her arms against his chest. They even gave each other soft little kisses every time one of them woke up, even if it was only for a second, to make they were still together.


	16. Good Things Come in Small Packages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate and Richie go for the exam, Freddie pulled a favor with Dr. Dakota Block. Hmmm?

Richie pulled into the parking lot of a small hospital. It was a bit out of the way, but since Freddie called in a favor with Dakota after hearing the news, and understanding their concerns, they went to her. Kate never met Dakota, but she knew who she was, and that she once tried to kill Richie. She wasn’t one-hundred percent sure this was a good idea, but since they knew so little about pregnancies like this, they weren’t sure things would progress as normal, and didn’t want to have to try to explain it if they didn’t. Dakota knew all about them, so she seemed like the best option. Or so Freddie seemed to think, and managed to convince them. It was also his idea that he would go with them to try to avoid an incidents.

Kate grabbed Richie’s hand as he turned off the engine. She was so nervous, not only about the Dakota situation, but about the baby itself. She had several different nightmares last night about something being wrong with it. She knew they were just dreams, but still.

Richie looked to the truck parked next to Kate, Freddie was sitting there waiting for them, wearing his big, black hat and sunglasses. He nodded as he saw them pull up next to him, and Richie nodded back. Kate gave a small smile. When she got out of the car, she gave him a quick hug, she hadn’t seen him since her birthday in December.

“Hey, Kate,” he said into her ear, as her arms were wrapped tight around his neck. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks, Freddie,” she smiled back, as she pulled away.

That’s when Freddie held his hand out to Richie and gave a small smile and a nod, as he stood next to Kate. Richie did the same back. It was a gesture of both greetings and congratulations. Something Kate never thought she would see between the two.

As they headed to the hospital entrance together, Freddie and Kate made idol chit chat, asking how they each had been and so on. 

Just as Richie was opening the door for them, Freddie added, “Oh, Maggie told me to also tell you congratulations, and that we have plenty of baby clothes if you need them. More so if it’s a boy because Earl’s growing out of everything so fast. But she still has some of Billie’s too.”

“Thank you,” smiled Kate. “That would be great. How old is Earl now? Eight months?”

“Nine months next week,” smiled the ranger.

“Oh my God, I haven’t seen him since you had that barbecue on Labor Day. He was so tiny. He’s gotta be so big now.”

“I’ll show you pictures before I go.”

As they entered the small maternity ward, they could see Dakota standing by the nurse’s desk chatting. When she turned and saw the three of them coming, her smile completely disappeared. She was doing this as a favor to Freddie, not because she liked it. 

Almost without a word, she directed them to one of the small rooms. She glared at both Richie and Freddie as they entered, visibly biting the inside of her cheek. As Kate was getting situated by the exam table, Dakota dug around in one of the drawers, and pulled out one of those paper gowns. 

“Here,” she said to Kate, barely looking at her. “Put this on. Freddie and I will step out into the hall.”

Then she turned to leave the room without another word, taking Freddie with her.

“Look, Ferdinand,” she said as she closed the door behind her. “You know how I feel about the Geckos, and I’m not a gynecologist. I don’t know why you even asked me here, and I still don’t know why I agreed.”

“Because, Dakota,” said Freddie. “This isn’t a normal pregnancy. Well at least we aren’t sure how normal this is going to be. Nobody’s ever heard of a Culebra fathering a child before, we don’t know what to expect.”

“I still don’t see what this has to do with me. I barely know what I’m doing.”

“You already know what he is, and I didn’t want to put Kate in an awkward situation if something is different about this,” said Freddie.

“She put herself in this awkward situation by sleeping with that freak.”

“Please, Dakota,” sighed Freddie. “Not now. You already said you would. She’s a nice girl, and she’s been through a lot. Please just help her out.”

“Fine,” she huffed. “You stay out here though.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” said Freddie. 

“I’m not going to do anything stupid, Ferdinand. It’s just early in the pregnancy, and the ultrasound will have to be vaginal. I doubt she wants you in there for that.”

Freddie blushed, “Oh. Ummm, probably not. I’ll be right out here then if you need me.”

Dakota took a deep breath and knocked before entering the room. She walked in and saw Kate wearing the paper gown, sitting on the exam table. Richie was standing next to her, holding her hand. Dakota felt disgusted being in the same room as him. How dare he have a happy life, she thought. She couldn’t help but glare at him as she made her way past him.

“Thanks for doing this, Dr. Block,” said Kate. “I know you don’t like us, but we really do appreciate it.”

“I have no problem with you, Kate,” she replied. “I don’t even know you.”

Kate couldn’t help but notice how she conveniently left Richie out of that sentence. She understood why she didn’t like him, but she also knew how sorry Richie was for killing her dad. He also tried to tell her that, but she had no interest in hearing it. So as far as Kate was concerned, the animosity was all on Dakota. She had forgiven Richie for a lot of bad things, and couldn’t understand why Dakota wouldn’t even try. It’s not like Richie was in his right state of mind when he was doing those things, and Kate knew that if he was, things might have gone very differently. 

“Still,” said Kate. “We really do appreciate this. I wouldn’t have bothered you with this, but we don’t know what to expect. It’s just so unexpected, and we were so unprepared for it.”

“Didn’t you use protection?” Asked Dakota, all irritated.

“No,” said Kate, shyly. “We didn’t think he could have kids, so we didn’t think it was necessary.”

“Some people shouldn’t,” she said glaring at Richie again. “You know, like nut-jobs and sociopaths.”

That was it, thought Kate. She really hated when people talked about him like that, and to his face no less. She knew he wouldn’t say anything back, his conscience was too guilty to let him lash out, and he knew now was not the time to start a fight. She could tell he felt it though, it hit him hard, probably because at least part of him thought she was right. 

The look in his eyes was both angry and sad, like a confused, little boy, and Kate hated seeing him look like that. She could also see his jaw flexing as he fought whatever he actually wanted to say. Instead he took a deep breath and reflexively held onto her hand a little tighter. Her heart ached for him, but a fire was growing in her belly at the same time.

Kate knew that Dakota was doing a huge favor for them, but there was no way in Hell she was going to let her talk to him like that. She could deal with the glaring, the ignoring, and the silent treatment, but she would not tolerate her talking shit to or about him to try to start a fight with him.

“You do understand that this won’t be a regular ultrasound, right?” Asked Dakota, changing the subject like nothing rude was ever said.

Kate nodded, “We do. But before we start, I’m actually really thirsty. My throat is real dry. Probably nerves,” she laughed, then she turned to Richie. “Baby, I saw a vending machine down the hall, can you get me something to drink?”

“Sure, Katie,” he smiled. “What do you want?”

“Probably just a water if they have it.”

“I’ll be right back,” he smiled. “Don’t start without me.”

Then he gave Kate a quick peck on the cheek and left the room.

As soon as the door closed, Kate turned to Dakota, “You have something you wanna say?”

Dakota was taken aback. She heard all about Kate and how sweet she was. This was not the sweet, innocent, little girl she heard so much about.

“For starters,” she said. “I don’t think he has the right to be someone’s dad. He killed mine. Murderers shouldn’t have kids, Kate, and that’s exactly what he is, a murderer. How did you expect me to feel, knowing that the man who murdered my father in cold blood is not only free and walking around, but having a happy life and starting a family? And how can you even sleep with him knowing what he is? He was a monster long before he became a Culebra, and you know it.”

Kate was fuming, “He is not a monster. I know what he did, and I know how sorry he is for that.”

“Sorry doesn’t bring my dad back.”

“No,” said Kate, angrily. “It doesn't. But you aren’t the only person to lose a parent, get over it. Richie’s done bad things in his life, I know that. But he’s also done a lot of good things too. Including saving your ass and everyone else’s for that matter. Not once, but twice! He risked his life to save the world as you know it, so you can walk around safely, hating him. He didn’t ask for this, he didn’t want to be a Culebra, but he is, and because of that, he gets sucked into a lot of really bad crap. But he’s a good man underneath it all. He wasn’t in his right mind when he killed your dad, someone was in there with him, controlling him, confusing him. He had lost almost all touch with reality, barely knowing what was and wasn’t real. He made a lot of poor choices during that time, but he knows now that he was wrong, and he tries to make up for it the only way he knows how. He knows it won’t change anything, he’s not stupid, but he’s trying to be a better man. I understand why you hate him, believe me, I do. But he is not the same man he was when he shot your dad. He’s the man that I love. The father of my baby. You don’t need to like him. Hell, you can even keep hating him. But you will do so quietly, knowing that you have him to thank that you’re still even around. You don’t have to respect him in your daily life, but you will keep your mouth shut about it as long as you’re around me. I will not take that kind of crap from anyone! I don’t care how big of a favor you’re doing for us. You will not speak to him like that in front of me. You got that?”

Dakota gave her a death look, but nodded her head. She would bite her tongue for the remainder of this visit. She made a promise to Freddie not to do anything stupid, and to do this in the first place, and she was going to see it through. 

That’s when Richie entered the room, carrying two bottles of water.

“I got you one too,” he said, handing Dakota the other bottle. “Just in case.”

“Thank you,” said Dakota through gritted teeth.

Richie smiled back uneasily at her, then took his place back at Kate’s side. He took her hand and gently kissed her knuckles. He remained holding it as the procedure began.

Kate squeezed Richie’s hand as the ultrasound began. It wasn’t long before they heard the beating of a little heart, and she put his hand in a death grip when she heard it. He grunted, but he’d let her break his fingers before he ever asked her to stop squeezing. He too was freaking out anyway, hearing that for the first time. It just made everything so real. 

There wasn’t much to see on that little, black and white screen, but Dakota tried her best to get an image of the baby. There was a black, empty looking space in the middle of the screen. In that dark space there was a little, white blob on the side.

“You see that,” said Dakota, pointing at the blob. “That’s the baby.”

“That’s it?” Asked Richie, all excited. “That little guy right there? That’s the baby?! Look, Katie! It has a little body and a little head. Are those arms right there? That’s more than I expected to see this early on. I mean isn’t it only about an inch or something, right? Wow, would you look at that. It kinda looks like a tiny person with a giant head.”

Kate was in shock. There was an actual baby inside of her, one she could actually see. She was speechless, but Richie had enough to say for the both of them. His previous nervousness seemed to disappear now that he could see what looked like a perfectly healthy, little baby growing inside of her. He was going on and on about something about embryos, fetuses, and stages of development. Rambling like he always did when he got excited about something, but Kate couldn’t really hear him. She just couldn’t stop looking at that screen.

“Kate?” Asked Richie, when he noticed she wasn’t saying anything. “Kate? Are you hearing me? That’s the baby, right there.”

“That’s not the baby, Richie,” she said. “That’s our baby.” She couldn’t help but smile as she said it. A tear ran down her cheek, she was so happy. “It’s our baby, Richie.”

“I know, Kate,” he smiled. “It’s ours, right there on that screen. We can actually see our, tiny, little baby. Can you believe it?”

“No,” she said shakily, as the tears kept coming. “I can’t believe it. We made that, Richie. You and me, baby. We . . . we made a person.”

Kate pulled Richie’s face to hers and kissed him. She gave him several, frantic, little kisses as she cried tears of joy, “That’s our baby, Richie! It’s our little miracle. I love you, baby.”

“I love you too, Katie,” said Richie, going in for a big kiss before pulling away. “Oh! Should I get Freddie! I want him to see this too!”

Kate nodded her agreement, and he rushed to the door. He swung it open, calling Freddie in, “Ranger! Get in here and look at my baby!”

Freddie jumped when the door flew open, but couldn’t help smiling when he heard the elation in Richie’s voice. It was a tone he had never heard, nor thought he would ever hear, from one of the Geckos. As he entered the room, he heard the nurses giggling in delight at Richie’s animated statement. They obviously enjoyed his excitement over seeing his baby too. Richie didn’t seem to notice or care though. 

Freddie walked in and gave Kate a smile. She looked so happy, happier than he had ever seen her. He looked over at Dakota and the little screen.

“Dr. Block,” said Richie, all smiley. “Show the ranger the baby! Oh, our baby,” he said looking at Kate.

Dakota pointed at the screen, indicating the baby’s location. She knew she hated Richie for what he had done, but his excitement as he looked at his baby for the first time, the one he never thought he could ever have, was overwhelming. It was saturating the room, and making her smile despite herself. Here was a hardened criminal, a murderer, and blood-sucking vampire, and he was beside himself with joy over a little blip on a screen.

Richie was now back by Kate. He put his large hand over her stomach as he kissed her again, nuzzling her neck.

“Richie,” she giggled.

“I’ve got to call Seth!” He exclaimed. “He needs to see this.”

“Why don’t you Facetime him?” Suggested Freddie.

“Good point, Ranger,” said Richie as he got his phone out.

Seth answered on the third ring.

“What’s the news, brother?” He asked as he answered.

Richie was pointing the phone so Seth could see both his and Kate’s excited faces. Seth thought he looked like a complete dork, but he actually couldn’t remember him ever looking this happy before. He was so excited for him, and strangely proud.

“Is Al there?” Asked Kate.

“Yeah.”

“Get her over,” said Richie impatiently. “We have something to show you.”

They heard him yelling for her, and her yelling back in the background.

“Hey guys!” She said as her face appeared on the little screen.

“We’d like to introduce you guys to your future niece or nephew,” said Kate, as Richie flipped the screen around.

They could hear both of them freaking out as they saw the little, white blob in the dark part of the screen. Dakota patiently pointed it out to them as well. There were lots of congratulations and happy grins before they ended the phone call.

Freddie headed back out of the room as Dakota finished up the exam. She told them that so far, everything looked fine. And as far as she could tell, the baby appeared to be a around eight to nine weeks old based on size. That fit perfectly into Kate’s timeline of when she thought she became pregnant. The night she spent with Richie at the Rattlesnake seemed more and more like the night they conceived this child.

Dakota printed them out a picture of the baby, and handed it to Kate. Then she reminded them that she wasn’t a gynecologist, and urged them to find one. She might have been able to help them out this time, but an expert would be the way to go in the future. A gynecologist would know more, and could be more exact. Plus someone would have to deliver it, and she had no experience with that.

“Thank you, Dakota,” said Richie, holding his hand out to her. “Thank you, really. You have no idea how much this means to us.”

She looked at the large hand extended towards her. Never did she think she would touch this man again, but she tentatively reached her hand out and took his. She was seeing something she never thought she would from a Gecko, pure joy. In that moment she allowed herself to think about how much he would actually love his child, and that maybe, just maybe this child could have a worse father. It made her think that Richard Gecko might actually be a good and loving father to this baby, which is more than a lot of babies had, and that thought drove a small amount of hate out of her heart. Not that she didn’t still hate him, just slightly less than she did before.

She dropped his hand then left the room so Kate could change. Before she even left, Kate sent a picture to both Scott and Kisa. She knew they were likely sleeping at this time in the morning, but wanted them to see as soon as they woke up. They would be so surprised, she hadn’t told them yet. She was so excited to share this with them. She just wished her mom and dad were here to see as well. She knew they were looking down from heaven though, seeing their grandchild for the first time. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back at the Jacknife, Kate and Richie were in his office. Seth and Al were in the bar, supposedly running things, but most likely drinking. Neither Kate or Richie really cared though, they had too much on their minds to worry about the bar at the moment.

“I can’t believe we’re having a baby,” said Kate. “I mean, I always wanted one, but since I decided I want to be with you, I just never thought it would happen.”

“Me either,” he said.

“Jeez, Richie. I never even thought to ask. I know I always wanted kids one day, but I never even asked if you did. Did you ever think about being a dad?”

“No, not really. My life wasn’t exactly baby friendly before I met you. Seth and I were criminals, mostly on the run. Then I was living in the woods in a shack for awhile. I never had a life that leaned towards kids.”

“You didn’t even think about it? Like in the future sometime?”

“No,” he shrugged. “I didn’t put much thought into it before. Then when I became a Culebra, there wasn’t any need to think about it because Culebras don’t have kids.”

“So you never even wanted to be a dad? Not even a little?” Asked Kate.

“Not until I met you.”

“Richie,” said Kate, blushing.

“I’m serious, Kate. I really thought about it for the first time when you took my hand in that RV. It was out of nowhere. I thought to myself how you would be an amazing mom someday, and I thought that it would be great to be with you, and those kids could be mine. It really freaked me out, thinking those things. I mean you were just seventeen, and I also just met you. I shouldn’t have thought that when you touched me, but I did. Even when we started dating, I thought about it. I knew I couldn’t have kids, and I was worried I was going to let you down because I knew you wanted them. I didn’t want to disappoint you.”

“Richie,” said Kate, walking to him and wrapping her arms around him. “You never disappoint me, and you wouldn’t be letting me down by not giving me any kids. I love you, and I knew when we got together that it wasn’t gonna happen. But I still chose you. Being with you is more important to me than having kids. It’s you that I want more than anything.”

“But kids are important to you. You always talk about them. And you’re so good with kids.”

“I know,” said Kate. “It’s been my dream since I was a little girl to be a mom. I mean, I never thought I would be a mom so young though. I’ve done the math, and the baby will be born right around my birthday. So depending on when exactly it comes, I’ll be either twenty-one or twenty-two.”

“I’m sorry,” said Richie. “Sometimes I forget how much younger than me you are. Does that bother you? Being a mom so young?”

“No, baby. I just always thought I would be older, at least twenty-five, or maybe even in my late twenties. But I’m just glad we can even have a baby at all. I don’t regret that it’s happening now. I just thought all this would all be happening in a different order.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well I always thought it would go fall in love, get engaged, get married, then have kids. I never even thought I’d have kids before I got married.”

“Well you still have time, Kate. So maybe you don’t have to.”

“What?”

“We could still get married before you have the baby.”

“W-what?” Asked Kate again, shock oozing from her voice?

“Marry me.”

Kate was silent for a long time, like she was pondering her answer. Then she abruptly said, “No.”

Richie opened his mouth to say something, then he closed it. He looked utterly confused, and a bit hurt, “What?”

“I said no.”

“Why? You say you love me. You said you wanted to get married before you had a baby. I ask you to marry me, and you still say no?”

“I do love you, Richie. That isn’t the problem.”

“Then what is?”

“Because you’re asking me because we’re having a baby. I don’t want that. I don’t want to be that girl whose boyfriend knocked her up, and then he asks her to marry him because he thinks it’s the right thing to do. I want to be asked because the man that I love, loves me and wants to spend his life with me.”

“I do want to spend my life with you,” said Richie, voice straining.

“But you’re doing it now because of the baby. It feels forced that way.”

“I’m not doing it because of the baby,” he said. “It just happens to be the time that I asked.”

Kate sighed, “Richie. . .”

“Kate, listen to me,” interrupted Richie. “I’m not asking because of the baby. Come with me.”

Richie grabbed Kate’s hand and took her over to his desk. He sat in his chair, and pulled her onto his lap. Then he grabbed his key ring out of his pocket. He took one of the keys and put it into a secret keyhole under the desktop. A little compartment opened out of the side of the desk, something Kate had never seen before. She had no idea he had secret compartments in his desk, and was now wondering if there were more.

Richie opened it fully and dug his hand into the little compartment. He pulled out a little, black box. He took a deep breath before opening it. Inside was the most beautiful ring Kate had ever seen. It was a platinum band that had diamonds twisted in a vine around it. It was a three stone ring. The center of which was a nearly flawless, two and a half carat, round cut diamond. It was absolutely stunning, and knowing Richie, Kate was sure it cost a small fortune.

“I bought this months ago,” he said. “I’ve been meaning to ask you, but I couldn’t find the right time. I. . . I didn’t want to rush you. We haven’t even been dating a whole year yet, and I wasn’t sure you were ready for that.”

“M-months ago?” Stuttered Kate.

“I was going to ask you on Christmas, but decided I was rushing things, and I didn’t want to freak you out. Then I was going to do it on Valentine’s day, but then I thought that’s when everyone does it, and I didn’t want to be cliche. I even brought it with me to the aquarium, but I decided to wait again.”

“I would have said yes,” she whispered. 

“What?” Asked Richie in surprise.

“If you would have asked me on Christmas, I would have said yes, Richie. Valentine’s day too. ”

“Will you say yes now?”

“Ask me again,” she said.

Richie took the ring from the box and slide it over Kate’s finger, “Kate Fuller, will you marry me?”

“Yes!” She screamed. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

Kate pulled back and looked at the ring on her finger. It was beautiful, and bigger than any piece of jewelry she had. She was definitely going to have to get used to the weight on her hand though, she was never taking it off.

“Richie, it’s beautiful,” said Kate, staring at it gleaming in the lights of the office.

“Is it the cut you like?” Asked Richie. “I wasn’t sure if you liked round cuts, or not. If it’s not, we can always get a different one. I’ll get you whatever you like.”

“It’s perfect, baby,” said Kate, leaning in for a quick peck. “I wouldn’t change anything about it.”

Richie laughed nervously, “Then I’m glad you like it. It took forever to figure out which one was good enough for you. And that was just the band and the cut,” he laughed before continuing. “The diamond took even longer. I looked all over the place before I found one good enough for you.”

“Richie, you know that it doesn’t matter to me. I would marry you no matter what kind of ring you got for me. I love you.”

“I know. And I love you too. You mean the world to me. That’s why it was so important to me. I wanted to get you a diamond almost as flawless as you are.”

“Richie,” she blushed, nuzzling his nose. Then she kissed him again. “I can’t believe we’re getting married! Just curious though, what did you mean by forever?”

“What?” He laughed, totally confused.

“You said it took forever to find the right one. We were only together a little more than six months at Christmas.”

“Oh,” he laughed nervously. “It took over a month for me to pick the style and shape I thought you would like. Then about another month to find the perfect diamond for it. So all in all, from the moment I started looking until I had it in my hand, it was about about two and a half months.”

“You knew that early on?”

“Kate, I knew before we even started dating that I wanted to marry you. I just never wanted to rush you, so I waited to buy you a ring until I couldn’t wait any more. I’m not rushing things, am I?”

“No. I’ve known you were the one for me since our first date. I would have said yes if you asked me then.”

“I wish I would have known that,” he chuckled. “I was so worried you weren’t ready, or were just gonna say no in general.”

“How could you possibly think I was gonna say no?”

“In my defense, you said no when I first asked you. So. . .”

“Richard!” Cried Kate, hitting him in the chest. “I only said no because I thought you were putting a band-aid over your mistake. I’ve been dreaming about marrying you, I would never have said no otherwise.”

“You’ve been dreaming about it?”

“Duh,” she giggled. “Of course I have! Now I can finally say I’m going to be Mrs. Gecko. Mrs. Richard Gecko. Hi, I’m Kate Gecko.”

Richie chuckled too, “I like the sound of that.”

“Oh my God, Richie. We’re getting married! We’re actually gonna get married!”

“I know,” he smiled. “It’s a little hard to believe.”

“And we’re having a baby! We’re gonna be a family, baby. A happy little family. Just like I always wanted, a happy little family with the only man I’ve ever loved. You have no idea how happy I am. I love you so much, Richie.”

“I love you too, Kate,” he said before he kissed her again. “And you have no idea how badly I’ve wanted this. You and me. Me giving you the life you want and deserve. Now that I know that I can, I can’t even explain how good it feels. I love you so much, future Mrs. Gecko.”

They remained sitting at his desk, cuddled together, and kissing when Kate wasn’t too busy looking at her ring. That was until Seth walked in some time later. He made a comment about how quickly things change around here. About how a few days ago they were on the verge of breaking up, and now they clearly had made up. Then he told them they should go do it somewhere else, so nobody else had to walk in on that. 

After he was done mocking them, Kate showed him the ring on her finger. His eyes shot open. He looked at it blankly before turning to his brother. 

“Well I’ll be damned,” said Seth, with a huge grin on his face.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate was getting ready for the night in their bathroom. She kept getting distracted by the large, diamond ring on her finger. It was so beautiful, and the way it sparkled in the light was breathtaking. It made her smile every time she looked at it. Not that it was only beautiful, but it meant that she and Richie were getting married. Something she had been dreaming about since they started dating, and it was finally coming true.

The door crept open behind her, and Kate saw Richie in his pj bottoms, leaning in the doorway. He had an easy smile on his face, as he caught her red handed, staring at her ring shimmering in the light again.

“Hey beautiful,” he purred. “What’s taking so long? I’m getting lonely waiting in that bed.”

“You talkin’ to me?” Asked Kate with a silly grin. “Or this gorgeous ring on my finger?”

“I was talking to the love of my life. The mother of my unborn child, and my future bride,” he said walking over, and wrapping his arms around her waist.

Kate slowly inched her hands up his chest. When she just got her fingers over his shoulder, she stopped, again looking at the ring on her finger. She admired just how perfect it looked sitting there.

Richie cleared his throat to get her attention. She kept stopping everything she was doing to look at it all night. Even when they were about to get into a loving embrace, which was distracting to him.

“Sorry,” she giggled. “It’s just so beautiful. I can’t help it. It’s absolutely perfect, baby. I still can’t believe we’re getting married.”

“Me either,” said Richie, arms still around Kate.

“You know it’s gonna have to be soon, right. I’m not gonna be super pregnant in our wedding pictures.”

“I’ve been waiting to marry for for months, so I’m ready whenever. Hell, I’d even marry you tomorrow, if that’s what you wanted.”

“Ummm, no,” said Kate. “We’re having an actual wedding, Richie. A wedding with all our friends and family, tons of flowers, and a big cake. Oh, and a string quartet. Oh!” She exclaimed. “I still have to get you a ring. And I have to find the perfect dress. There’s so much to plan.”

“Whatever makes you happy, Katie,” he smiled. 

“I’ve been thinking,” she continued. “Growing up, I always wanted to get married in my dad’s church, but that’s not an option anymore. Now I don’t even have a church, so I don’t even know where we should get married.”

“What about an outdoor wedding?” Asked Richie. “Under the night sky? With candles and light all around?”

“Hmmm. That actually sounds beautiful. I wonder if there’s a place that would do a night ceremony like that.”

“I have a place in mind,” smirked Richie.

“So you’ve been thinking about it too, huh?” Laughed Kate.

“Just a little.”

“Well,” said Kate, giving a sexy, little smile. “As curious as I am about what you’ve been thinking about our wedding, I’ve got something else planned for you tonight.”

“Oh?” Asked Richie, with a grin, raising his eyebrow. “And what could that be?”

“Why don’t you get into bed, and I’ll show you.”

They raced to bed, and quickly undressed. Kate had all sorts of plans for them, showing Richie just how excited she was at the idea of being his wife. It was the first time they had had sex since they found out she was pregnant. It was long overdue and sorely needed. 

All the tension, and confusion of the past few days just slipped away, as they rode each other through the twists and turns of passion. And when they both were fully spent, they lay cuddled together in the warmth and comfort of a loving embrace.

Richie held Kate close, tight to his chest, and she relished in the firm feeling of his solid body against hers, keeping her grounded and holding her together. Like most nights they laid together, he held her through the night. 

When Kate woke up the next morning, Richie was still sleeping as usual. But Kate noticed one thing that sent shivers down her spine, made butterflies in her stomach, and forced a stupid smile to cross her face. It was the way he was holding her. It was familiar, but different all together.

He was wrapped around her like he usually was, but there was one difference. Usually his arm was just slung around her in no particular place, or his hand was on her hip. But this morning, his large, protective hand was placed over her stomach. Like he was guarding the two things he valued most in life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that concludes the 2nd part of my Ramblers Series! Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed. It's been a total blast for me writing it. If you like the series so far, I am planning on writing a 3rd part. I already have an idea, and am working on the finishing touches. I have some more kinks to work out before I really get into it, but it will happen.


End file.
